New
Issues in Hydration
By Jason Barker
Hydrate.
Hydrate. Hydrate.
Lately everything you read seems to be about hydration. Americans have
become well-educated about the need to consume liquids. The standard
message, “drink eight glasses of water per day,” is ingrained,
and this is good. Active people have this one down even better than
most people, which brings up other issues.
Don’t
get me wrong, drinking plenty of water is great for your health, and
essential. But, industrious people that we are, we tend to overdo what
is good for us. And yes, too much water (too much of any good thing
for that matter) causes problems.
Hyponatremia
Hyponatremia is a condition where there is too much water in the bloodstream
and it dilutes salt content. Normally, your body regulates the amount
of salt in the blood within a very tight range. Consuming too much water
too fast leads to dilution, which means your body can’t hold the
water inside the bloodstream, and the water seeps into other tissues
of the body, including the brain.
At its
worst, hyponatremia can lead to death. Each year, a runner or two dies
at an event because of this problem. However, there are certainly more
cases of this that happen, but go undetected, because the person wasn’t
so ill they sought/attracted attention. And while it is rare for someone
to die from hyponatremia, many people probably suffer from some degree
of this condition during events than we may be aware of, given the huge
quantities of water that people think they should consume.
Who
Gets It?
Mainly women who spend four hours or more on the course. Why? There
are a few theories, but one is that women take better care of themselves,
and therefore drink more water. Also, you can blame it on estrogen.
Scientists believe that estrogen affects the way the brain absorbs water.
And, the longer women are out exercising, the more they drink. But this
doesn’t mean that a man who walks for two hours can’t get
it either.
What
Are the Symptoms?
Swelling of the hands and feet, plus confusion, dizziness, and headache.
Nausea and vomiting are common, as are shortness of breath and wheezing.
Symptoms can be confused with dehydration, and sometimes people are
treated for dehydration when in fact they have hyponatremia. The key
here is they feel worse during or after treatment.
How
Do You Avoid Hyponatremia?
Learn how much water you really need to drink by doing a simple test:
Weigh yourself before you go for a walk. Drink as you normally would,
then weigh yourself as soon as you get back. If you gained weight that
means you drank too much water. If you lost weight, that’s the
idea, and now you know about how much to drink during exercise.
Yes, it
can be hard to predict how thirsty you may be, or external factors,
like the weather, that influence fluid intake and sweating. But, by
getting a good idea of how much water you should drink in a given period
of time during exercise, you will have more control.
Also, try
to avoid taking NSAID pain killers, including brand name products such
as Aleve or Motrin, or the generic brand, ibuprofen. These can harm
your kidneys and keep them from processing water. Not surprisingly,
the amount of NSAIDs people take is directly correlated to time spent
in the medical tent, dealing with hydration issues.
Finally,
drink something other than plain water during exercise. Add some electrolytes
or diluted sports beverage to your water bottle. Or you can add electrolytes
to tap water by including a pinch of salt or baking soda, and some lemon
or lime juice.
But before
you start guzzling sports drinks, read on.
Too
Many Calories
Among other things, we exercise to stay healthy and maybe lose some
weight. If your goal is weight loss, it’s important to watch what
you drink. Consuming high-calorie beverages with additives like protein
may keep you from burning fat.
Here’s
how it works: When you exercise, your body uses energy stores to keep
moving. Using energy stores uses up those extra stored calories in your
body. Consuming extra energy during a workout keeps this from happening.
Rather than using its energy stores during exercise, your body is smart
— it will use the new-found source of energy for fuel, and save
what you are trying to get rid of for another day.
In reality,
your body doesn’t require any extra fuel during the first hour
of exercise. So be mindful of what you are drinking or eating. Yes,
you need something other than plain water, but you don’t need a
bunch of calories. Select a beverage with good flavor and some electrolytes,
and then dilute it by one-half or one-third. Nearly all sports drinks
have an energy source (read: calories and some have more than others).
When it
comes to hydration, the key is moderation. Understand how much you are
drinking, how much you need, and if you are trying to lose weight, and
pay attention to how many calories your favorite sports drink contains.
Jason
Barker, MD is a family practice and sports medicine physician. His practice
is located at Back in Motion Sports Injuries Clinic in Beaverton, OR.
He can be reached at 503-524-9040. |
