For those who adhere to to the old adage of “drinking before your thirst”.
Those addicted in badminton / endurance sports, hiking, or other strenous exercises. Read this otherwise unthinkable fatal occurrence.
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(a.) “Danger in too much fluid intake in Sports” (May 8, 2005)
by Arturo C. Ludan, MD, Health Notes section
The Philippine Star
(an excerpt of the Sunday column)
. . . . That year, a 28-year old woman reached Heartbreak Hill, at mile 20, after five hours of running and drinking sports drinks. She struggled to the top. Feeling terrible and assuming she was dehydrated, she chugged 16 ounces of the liquid. She collapsed within minutes. She was later declared brain dead. Her blood sodium level was dangerously low, at 113 micromoles per liter of blood, (Hyponatremia starts at sodium levels below 135 micromoles, when brain swelling can cause confusion and grogginess. Levels below 120 can be fatal)”. . . . .
. . . . Need for improved Sports drinks . . . a need to reformulate currently available low-sodium sports drinks. These sports drinks also have high sugar content which can cause osmotic diarrhea. It is unphysiologic for oral fluid rehydration due to its high osmolarity of 330 mosm/L which impairs sodium absorption . . . .
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(b.) Hydration: How Much Should We Drink? (Hyponatremia vs Dehydration)
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(c.) “How Much Water Do You Need When You Run? “ (Friday, April 15)
Parallel Universes
Just enough. And never too much.
A new study debunks the usual adage of marathon runners of the "drink-ahead-of-your-thirst" mindset to prevent dehydration. The study emphasizes its point by saying that drinking too much fluids might endanger the lives of runners.
[NYtimes Health, 14 April 2005] Read the full text of the study.
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Putting it simply, the authors of the study say that if you plan to run and drink too much, you are in effect diluting your body’s electrolyte supply — notably sodium — and exposing yourself to a condition known as hyponatremia or low concentrations of sodium in your blood, which is harmful and can kill you.
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How much should you drink then, if you plan to run?
Take this sound advice from expert doctors:
* Dr. Tim Noakes, a hyponatremia expert at the University of Cape Town -
"For their part, runners can estimate how much they should drink by weighing themselves before and after long training runs to see how much they lose - and thus how much water they should replace."
* Dr. Marvin Adner, the medical director of the Boston Marathon -
"Don’t start chugging down water. Wait until (you) begin to urinate, (which is) a sign the body is no longer retaining water."
* Dr. Paul D. Thompson, a cardiologist at Hartford Hospital in Connecticut and a marathon runner -
"Drink while you are moving. If you stop and drink a couple of cups, you are overdoing it."
Next time you run, remember that the real danger might not really be dehydration, but drinking too much water. Be careful, okay?
(d.) Hyponatremia (Health & Disease Information)
(e.) What is Hyponatremia?
(f.) Hyponatremia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(g.) Facts on Hyponatremia
(h.) Drink Water!
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