Journal of Healthy Living

Proper Hydration: Clear Urine Is Best

With a double header softball game this afternoon in what will undoubtedly be a hot day, hydration is always on my mind. Dehydration can hit pretty quickly when you’re running around outside in the sun and it can affect your mood and athletic performance in insidious ways. You’ll get moody, cranky, and miserable to be around. Your reaction time will slow, your body will feel more sluggish, and you’ll find yourself preferring to sit out rather than play the next inning. Proper hydration is crucial.

So, what’s the best barometer of hydration? Your urine. Your urine is yellow because of bile. Bile is produced by your liver and used to help break up fat. Afterwards, that bile is broken down and urinated out of the body. Urochrome, a pigment in bile, is what turns your urine yellow. The darker yellow it is, the less water you have in your body. The lighter the better and a dark yellow is a sign of dehydration.

Drink more liquids and pee clear!