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Don't Drink Too Much Water When Running

FitSugar — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 14:30:00 -0800

It is important to keep hydrated when running a marathon but did you know that too much water can be a bad thing?

A good rule of thumb is to drink about one cup of fluid every 20 minutes during a marathon, anything more than that could be dangerous and could cause hyponatremia — when you have low amounts of sodium in your body. It can be fatal if not treated immediately. To prevent it, be sure to drink sports drinks during training and, as long as you don't have high blood pressure, increase your salt intake a few days before the race.

For symptoms of hyponatremia just

The Skinny On: Sports Drinks

FitSugar — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 08:45:00 -0700

Staying hydrated when exercising in hot, humid weather is really important. However, if you are exercising, at a moderate level, for longer than an hour you should probably reach for a sports drink.

Unlike water, sports drinks contain electrolytes and carbohydrates to help your body absorb and retain fluid lost during exercise. Because of this, sports drinks do a better job of preventing dehydration and maintaining proper electrolyte balance, especially in warm, humid conditions when you sweat out more fluid and sodium. Replenishing sodium enhances fluid absorption and retention and prevents hyponatremia, the condition when blood sodium blood levels fall below normal, which in extreme cases can be fatal.

Look for a sports drink that contains at least 500 to 700 milligrams (mg) of sodium per liter. Also select one you don't feel like you need to dilute due to taste, since you'll dilute the electrolyte and carbohydrate concentration as well. To avoid guzzling too much at one time since no one likes to run with a belly full of liquid, drink it in small amounts at regular intervals, every 15 to 20 minutes.

Fit's Tip: To figure out how much you need to drink, weigh yourself naked before and after a typical hour of working out. Then drink the same amount you lost. For example, if you lose two pounds during one hour of running, you need to replace about 32 ounces (two pounds) of fluid during each hour of exercise. This is the equation you should use if you are racing too. If you're consuming more than that, you're probably over-hydrating.

Definition: Hyponatremia

FitSugar — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 14:09:52 -0700

Hyponatremia is a condition that occurs from drinking too much water.

Also known as water intoxication, hyponatremia occurs when the sodium in your blood is diluted by excess water. The body's balance of electrolytes is pushed outside of safe limits, disrupting normal brain function. If water enters the body more quickly than it can be removed after intense sweating and sodium loss, body fluids are diluted and this can be a problem for marathoners. Because endurance runners lose sodium through sweat, drinking too much water during endurance activities, such as marathons and triathlons, can dilute the sodium content of your blood.

Some things to note:

Hyponatremia also occurs more often in women than in men.
Not being acclimated to hot weather can increase the amount of sodium you lose through sweating during exercise.
The symptoms of hyponatremia can mimic the symptoms of dehydration. Pay attention to a headache that won’t go away, vomiting and confusion. Seek help from a doctor.
To confirm low blood sodium, laboratory tests — including blood tests and possibly urine tests — are necessary.

Be safe when you run in the heat!!! Experiment with all those different sports drinks out there to find one that suits your needs.

What's the Deal With: Hyponatremia

FitSugar — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 08:45:00 -0700

While it seems like most of us have a hard time staying hydrated, there are serious, even fatal, side affects to drinking too much water. The condition is called hyponatremia

Some things to note:

Hyponatremia also occurs more often in women than in men.
Not being acclimated to hot weather can increase the amount of sodium you lose through sweating during exercise.
The symptoms of hyponatremia can mimic the symptoms of dehydration. Pay attention to a headache that won’t go away, vomiting and confusion. Seek help from a doctor.
To confirm low blood sodium, laboratory tests — including blood tests and possibly urine tests — are necessary.

Be safe when you run in the heat!!! Experiment with all those different sports drinks out there to find one that suits your needs.

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