According to a new study presented at the American Physiological Society’s annual meeting at Experimental Biology in San Diego, one common ingredient can drastically improve your cognitive function.
And unlike drugs, it has no side effects and is free or dirt cheap in most places.
This study examined recreational cyclists with an average age of 55 who had entered a large cycling event on a hot day, with temperatures of 78–86°F.
They asked these cyclists to complete a trail-making executive function test as quickly and accurately as possible before and after the event.
The test involved the linking of numbered dots using a pencil and served as a measure of executive function, a psychological term for the ability to focus, retrieve needed information accurately from memory, and to plan and carry out steps to fulfil a goal.
Before the event began, the scientists tested the cyclist’s urine in order to categorize them into a group that was normally hydrated and one that was dehydrated.
Compared to their pre-cycling test, the normally hydrated group completed the post-cycling test a lot faster.
The dehydrated group, on the other hand, showed no improvement.
This shows that the elderly and those in their upper middle ages can reap cognitive benefits from exercise, but only if they are hydrated properly.
Older studies have found that even if you are dehydrated by only 2% you will perform more poorly than usual on tasks that require attention, psychomotor abilities, short-term memory, and fast retrieval.
In addition, you will struggle to form an accurate assessment of your own physical and emotional environment.
According to the literature, long-term memory, working memory, and executive function begin deteriorating only when we are more than 2% dehydrated.
In other words, to stave off dementia and keep your brain functioning at optimal levels, drink a glass of water at least every two hours and drink more while you exercise.