Image Credit: Vshioshvili on flickr
Over the last three weeks, the Hydration Summit has featured a constant stream of valuable information on the importance of hydration in the outdoors while also focussing on new hydration bladder technology. From interviews with prominent scientists, discussions about hydration enhancers the problem of cross-contamination in the backcountry and more, the Hydration Summit contributors have covered it all.
By now, we know the importance of keeping our bodies properly hydrated. We know that the individual needs to hydrate before, during and after exercise, and that improper hydration can result in a virtual flood of problems. Whether you’re at your desk, or out on the trail, dehydration can result in muscle cramping, decreased strength, and reduced endurance. The lack of sufficient hydration can also result in reduced mental function which can have negative implications for motor control, decision making and concentration.
What many people don’t know is that in some extreme cases, over-consumption of fluids can actually also be a bad thing. That’s right, just like Thanksgiving dinner, or ice-cream cake (well, maybe not ice-cream cake) having too much of a good thing can be can extend to drinking water as well.
Hyponatremia, also called water intoxication, is generally the result of drinking excessive amounts of fluids which causes a low concentration of sodium in the blood. When this happens, your body’s water levels rise, and your cells begin to swell. This swelling can cause many health problems, from mild to severe, and can potentially prove to be fatal.
After a study in the New England Journal of Medicine listed overhydration as a serious health issue of some runners at the Boston Marathon, the issue of over hydration and hyponatremia has bounced in and out of headlines in recent years.
Granted, we’re talking about the consumption of a significant amount of water. For most people who read this post, this will never be an issue. However, for endurance athletes and outdoor enthusiasts overly concerned with staying hydrated in the summer heat, it is in fact possible to consume too much liquid.
On June 19th Outside magazine posted a discussion topic on the issue of overhydration in endurance sports. In the interview, the crew from Outside magazine chats with Dr. Tim Noakes, author of Waterlogged: The Serious Problem of Overhydration in Endurance Sports discussing his ideas for the new rules of hydration during endurance exercise, which he points out are actually old rules. You can read the full interview HERE.
The consequence of drinking too much while truly pushing our limits is obviously more serious than you might have thought, but as long as you stick to the simple rule of drinking only when you are thirsty, and sipping consistently, there is no true reason for most athletes to worry. For more information about the potentials of over hydration, consult your health professional. Also, spend some time on the Hydration Summit site where tips on proper hydration and hydration techniques are readily available.
In the end, whether you are out crushing fire trails, or knocking out long runs under the unforgiving summer sun, listen to your body to stay properly hydrated and refreshed at all times. Now what are you waiting for? Go out there and get your adventure on!
I read that article when you sent it to me last week. Unbelievable read and actually a bit of a shock to me. I don’t think we learned about drinking too much when we were younger. But it totally makes sense. I bet I’ve been consuming too much on the trail at times.
It’s an interesting topic to be sure, and if not taken in perspective probably more worrisome than necessary for most of us. Demographically speaking, the candidates at highest risk for hyponatremia are long-distance marathon runners (more specifically women) and people with heart, kidney, or liver disease because their kidneys are unable toexcrete water normally.
As with most things in life the key is always balance. Dehydration is still one of the biggest risks in endurance exercise, but the key to performing at our best is drinking smart, not gulping liquids. Much of the academic literature I’ve seen suggests that the best way to avoid drinking too much or too little is to take in about the same amount of fluid as you sweat out, and there are a few methods easily found online that suggest how to measure your sweat rate.
So, have a story related to this that is funny now, not so much at the time. When we were thru hiking the Colorado Trail we had to take a detour because of dogs and didn’t have a map of the area. We took the wrong leg of a trail, got a day behind, and were meeting a friend in Breck with our food drop so we had to haul butt! We pushed our dogs too much in the heat. Frisco got overheated and just started trying to drink the entire creek when we stopped for the night before Breck. We left him in our shelter as he was DONE for the day. When we came back he was lying in a pool of his own urine in our sweet Big Agnes UL tent and not responding. We had seen people with horses down the road so in the dark I carried his 80-90 carcass about a quarter mile to them getting urine all over myself. I plunked him down in front of them, they shined a flashlight to check his gums and his eyes, and he perked right up like nothing happened. Been really careful since then to hydrate the dogs as much as possible on the way so they don’t overdue it.