Hydration recommendations have been on a roller coaster ride. Many years ago we were told not to drink. Coaches thought that drinking during competition would cause cramps and decrease your performance. Thank goodness that crazy idea was abandoned before we lost more runners to heat stroke. Unfortunately the pendulum then swung too far the other direction. We were told to drink early and often. It was suggested that we should try to stay ahead of dehydration by drinking copious amounts of water and fluids. This brought up a new problem – hyponatremia. Hyponatremia is an imbalance of the fluid-electrolyte levels in your blood. Basically, your blood sodium levels plummet because of excessive fluid intake. New guidelines suggest drinking only when thirsty. Try to drink only enough to replace lost fluids and consume sports drinks containing sodium rather than plain water.
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