do DOMS always correlate to water retention?

jessiferrrb

hi all! so, after surgery recovery i'm back in the game. i had to deload of course but now that i'm increasing weights to the more difficult levels for me i've got the constant DOMS again. i know that DOMS aren't necessarily a sign of progress or an indicator of effort, etc. but are they always correlated with water retention?

i'm asking because i'm seeing the same slowing of weight loss (plus the gains in fluctuations) as i did when i began lifting and i'm wondering if that's going to be consistent for as long as i'm lifting progressively heavier and feeling soreness. i'm pretty sensitive to fluid retention generally: as an example i was SUPER hungover after drinking all day sunday without eating. dehydration had me down to 200 lbs on monday (YAY!!) but after eating pizza and lifting i'm back up to 206 (BOO).

jessiferrrb

bumpity bump, helpity help.

canadianlbs

jessiferrrb wrote: »

hi all! so, after surgery recovery i'm back in the game. i had to deload of course but now that i'm increasing weights to the more difficult levels for me i've got the constant DOMS again. i know that DOMS aren't necessarily a sign of progress or an indicator of effort, etc. but are they always correlated with water retention?

i wish i could help, but i don't know. it sounds more of a medical-y kind of question, so maybe someone out there has done some kind of paper on it. it is hard for me to picture 'inflammation' that did not involve fluid, fwiw. but that's because i associate it so strongly with swelling, so idk. i'm a long way from being any kind of med technician.

i do have the same experience you're having, every time i 'restart' with lifting. i'm wondering if you had the other effect that i always get, at the other end of the experience: i.e. a few extra pounds getting shed within a week or so of not hitting the gym.

in my case, it may be a bit blurred because i'm a creatine user. so as soon as i get back on the programme i get more consistent with creatine too, and that definitely involves a little more fluid.

jessiferrrb

thank you! yeah, i guess i just don't know if every time i feel sore (i.e. all the flipping time) i'm also holding water. my guess is that since i'm still progressing in weights that fluid 'must' still be needed to repair the muscles. but i just don't know.

anyway, i really appreciate your response.

canadianlbs

if you're sore all the time yeah, it's hard to tell. a little more protein might help with that? wasn't your question, but if it works then you'd have sore times and non-sore times to compare to each other and maybe find out

chichidachimp

Sure, DOMS like any other healing process can cause swelling which causes water retention. However, usually the effect is small and probably wouldn't lead to more than a lb or 2 in fluctuation (esp since you sweat out water during exercise). I would also look into other causes such as dehydration, increased sodium intake. For example, drinking and pizza could lead to dehydration and increased sodium over that period of time.

jessiferrrb

chichidachimp wrote: »

Sure, DOMS like any other healing process can cause swelling which causes water retention. However, usually the effect is small and probably wouldn't lead to more than a lb or 2 in fluctuation (esp since you sweat out water during exercise). I would also look into other causes such as dehydration, increased sodium intake. For example, drinking and pizza could lead to dehydration and increased sodium over that period of time.

lol, so you've peeped my diary.

honestly, sodium is always a factor for me and TOM.

canadianlbs wrote: »

if you're sore all the time yeah, it's hard to tell. a little more protein might help with that? wasn't your question, but if it works then you'd have sore times and non-sore times to compare to each other and maybe find out

that would be living the dream! lol. i will have to do a more concentrated analysis of what goes into the soreness factors. thank you.