Negative effects of dehydration in boxing.

By: Psychologist Diana Sosa, member of the World Boxing Council Medical Committee

Dehydration is very common in combat sports. It is an archaic practice but encouraged, allowed and perpetuated in boxing, supported by false beliefs that suppressing liquids in the fighter will benefit him to lose weight.

Most likely the boxer can lose a couple of pounds by completely removing fluids before his fight, but this weight will be regained with the next intake of water and even certain foods.

Boxers often tend to think short term, to “solve” the issue of weight, with quick and seemingly easy solutions. What must be encouraged in boxers and in the entire team, is that weight management in boxing is a serious matter, since it involves physical, psychological and emotional health, in the short, medium and long term. Hydration should be given adequate importance, being advised by nutrition and mental health professionals, in case weight is already a problematic situation.

Dehydration is going to have general repercussions. In the body, it causes fatigue, because the human organism has a large percentage of water and by not having it, motor functions will be slower and therefore, sports performance will be diminished.

Being dehydrated also involves the brain, which contracts and therefore all the functions it performs will be consequently slower, also affecting the intellectual capacities. The boxer needs to focus, to have concentration, optimal reflexes and quick reaction capacity. But with a lack of liquid, most likely these functions will be diminished and slowed.

All of the above and being thirsty most of the time, causes bad mood, irritability and nervousness, which is directly implicated high levels of worry and therefore a less focused boxer.

Weight management should be carried out with a sports nutrition professional, since research based on scientific evidence confirms that hydration levels depend a lot upon the preparation stage in which the boxer is, and it is It is essential that the fighter take care of his body. Since as we well know, boxing is a sport where a fighter is “punished” in the ring and should not “punish” the body twice, by not properly providing it with optimal hydration.