Drink Anyone – Rob Willcocks

Jan 2, 2012

Drink Anyone?

Staying hydrated is essential for everyone, but cyclists have an even greater need to maintain proper hydration. Water is the most important nutrient for life and has many important functions including regulating temperature, lubricating joints and transporting nutrients and waste throughout the body.

Staying hydrated is particularly important during exercise. Adequate fluid intake is essential to comfort, performance and safety. The longer and more intensely you exercise, the more important it is to drink the right kind of fluids.

Because there is wide variability in sweat rates, losses and hydration levels of individuals, it is nearly impossible to provide specific recommendations or guidelines about the type or amount of fluids cyclists should consume. Finding the right amount of fluid to drink depends upon a variety of individual factors including the length and intensity of exercise. There are, however, two simple methods of estimating adequate hydration:

Monitoring urine volume output and colour. A large amount of light colored, diluted urine probably means you are hydrated; dark colored, concentrated urine probably means you are dehydrated.

Weighing yourself before and after exercise. Any weight lost is likely from fluid, so try to drink enough to replenish those losses. Any weight gain could mean you are drinking more than you need.

Dehydration

Dehydration refers to an inadequate amount of fluid in the body and can occur quickly in cyclists who participate in endurance events or long workouts. In general, a person is considered dehydrated when they have lost more than 2 percent of their body weight during exercise due to sweating. This causes a drop in blood volume making the heart work harder to move blood through the body causing muscle cramps, dizziness and fatigue and even heat exhaustion.

Adequate fluid intake is essential for cyclists before, during, and after exercise. Whether to use sports drinks or just water depends upon your duration and intensity of exercise.

Symptoms of Dehydration:

• Dry or sticky mouth
• very dark colored, concentrated urine
• Weakness
• Dizziness
• Skin may ‘tent’ when pinched (doesn’t bounce back quickly when released).

Cyclists need to take certain precautions when exercising in the heat in order to prevent dehydration. Drinking the right fluids at the right times can help. Even at this time of year, you still need to drink even in the cold and wet conditions.

Hyponatremia

Hyponatremia, also called water intoxication, is generally the result of drinking excessive amounts of plain water which causes a low concentration of sodium in the blood. Once a rare occurrence at sporting events, it is becoming more prevalent as participation increases and more novice exercisers are entering endurance events.

Prolonged and excessive sweating increases the risk that a cyclist will alter the delicate balance of blood-sodium concentration. Because sodium is lost in sweat it is important for those exercising at high intensities for long periods of time to replace any loses.

Causes of Hyponatremia
During high intensity exercise, sodium is lost along with sweat. A cyclist who only replaces the lost fluid with water will have a decreased blood-sodium concentration. As an example, consider a full glass of salt-water. If you dump out half of the contents of the glass (as is lost in sweat), and replace that with water only, the sodium concentration of in the glass is far less and the water is more dilute. This can occur in the bloodstream of a cyclist who only hydrates with water during excessive sweating. The result is hyponatremia.

Adequate sodium balance is necessary for transmitting nerve impulses and proper muscle function, and even a slight depletion of this concentration can cause problems.

Symptoms of Hyponatremia
The early warning signs are often subtle and may be similar to dehydration and include nausea, muscle cramps, disorientation, slurred speech, and confusion. At this point, many cyclists drink more water because they think they are dehydrated. Unfortunately, water alone will increase the problem of hyponatremia. At the most extreme an athlete may experience seizures, coma, or death.

Hydration recommendations include:

• Use sodium containing sports drinks during long distance, high intensity events or training.
• Add a pinch of salt to your bottles. This will keep the bottles from freezing and provide the salt you need.
• Increase salt intake per day several days prior to competition (except for those with hypertension).
• In the days before the race, add salt to your foods (provided that you don’t have high blood pressure and your doctor has not restricted your salt intake).

Keep in mind that all cyclists respond differently to exercise. Fluid and sodium needs will vary accordingly. As always, it is important to consult your physician for special considerations if you have a history of any health problems or are taking any medication for a health condition.

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