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To Hydrate or Not to Hydrate
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In the ATL there is a business with two locations called vidaflo. They feed you concentrated hydration and vitamins, antacids, NSAIDs, etc...whatever you need via IV. Let my sis talk me into it. Total waste of money and rookie with the needle bruised my wrists up ting to get a vein. Everyone in there was getting over hangovers labor day weekend.0
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Thanks for all the info. Sorry I was not specific, I ment to refer to Sports Hydration Drinks...
Sports drinks have their place, but yeah...the idea that one needs a Gatorade because they worked out for an hour and sweated a bit is ridiculous. If you're eating well and staying hydrated you shouldn't really need to replenish electrolytes from your "run of the mill" type of workout.
They can be beneficial if you've done extended training or something...think endurance type of stuff...the sugar can be beneficial for recovery if...say you've been out on the bike riding for 50 miles and at that point it's likely you would need to replenish electrolytes as well and if I'm out for 50 miles, the last thing I'm worried about is a couple hundred calories.
That said, I think there are better ways of going about all of those things. Electrolyte tabs are great and I prefer coconut water to sports drinks (natures Gatorade) and I generally have one water bottle full for a long ride along with another bottle of H20. For quick recovery I would generally prefer a chocolate milk with a peanut butter and jam sandwich and a pickle (for the salt) to a Gatorade or other sport drink.
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I've just finished reading 'Waterlogged' by Tim Noakes who looks at the science and lack of science behind the 'dehydration myth'.
So yeah, drink when thirsty, don't follow rules. Your pee may not tell you much. Being dehydrated during exercise isn't a bad thing (and some of the fastest marathon runners end up the most dehydrated) and no one has ever died of dehydration during a race. Over-hydration, certainly.
You probably don't need electrolytes or added salts either. No matter how much you sweat. Carbs are a different matter
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OP are you talking about the Adam Ruins Everything video about hydration? I've been wondering the same thing.. I think drinking when thirsty instead of the set 8 cups a day is best, our own bodies are better at telling us than an arbitrary number from ad campaigns. But only in the context of readily available water
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I always feel like crap when I'm not properly hydrated. It feels like kidneys are aching or something. I just don't feel right at all. So for me, hydration is super important for my overall well being b/c I like to feel good. Sure it sucks to always have to pee, but I'd rather have to visit the bathroom 10 times a day than have that achy feeling.0
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I'm not for "force drinking". Of course you should hydrate when you are thirsty, but force drinking a specific amount of water is not necessary.1
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peaceout_aly wrote: »I've heard that it is just big business telling us to hydrate all the time so they can make a buck, when all that is really needed is to just follow your body's que and just drink when thirsty. Any thoughts?
I'm never thirsty. Ever. However, I've had terrible kidney problems throughout my life due to not drinking enough water. Definitely thinking that hydration is the better option, doesn't matter if your body tells you it's thirsty or not. Totally different than food.
And I drink way more water than what I technically should need, but I feel so thirsty all the time. Funny how this is.0 -
BinaryPulsar wrote: »peaceout_aly wrote: »I've heard that it is just big business telling us to hydrate all the time so they can make a buck, when all that is really needed is to just follow your body's que and just drink when thirsty. Any thoughts?
I'm never thirsty. Ever. However, I've had terrible kidney problems throughout my life due to not drinking enough water. Definitely thinking that hydration is the better option, doesn't matter if your body tells you it's thirsty or not. Totally different than food.
And I drink way more water than what I technically should need, but I feel so thirsty all the time. Funny how this is.
Not funny - sad. You may be flushing out electrolytes with all that water and dehydrating yourself. Take in more salt and see if that helps. If it doesn't, doctor.0 -
kommodevaran wrote: »BinaryPulsar wrote: »peaceout_aly wrote: »I've heard that it is just big business telling us to hydrate all the time so they can make a buck, when all that is really needed is to just follow your body's que and just drink when thirsty. Any thoughts?
I'm never thirsty. Ever. However, I've had terrible kidney problems throughout my life due to not drinking enough water. Definitely thinking that hydration is the better option, doesn't matter if your body tells you it's thirsty or not. Totally different than food.
And I drink way more water than what I technically should need, but I feel so thirsty all the time. Funny how this is.
Not funny - sad. You may be flushing out electrolytes with all that water and dehydrating yourself. Take in more salt and see if that helps. If it doesn't, doctor.
Well, I don't really drink that much water. Just people say you need only half your body weight (I'm small) and that other things hydrate us. I don't feel thirsty all the time. But, since I keep hydrated I would expect less. I'm under medical care. I could mention it, but we are dealing with other stuff. I think it might just be because I am so active. I forgot to consider that aspect. There are times when I sweat a lot from dancing intensively. It's true that I don't add salt to my food and cook my own food. But, I think I still get enough sodium for a person my size. I will check. But, I was this way even more when I used to eat more foods that had salt.0 -
I go on moderate hikes and usually put Nuun in my water. Haven't had problems with cramping since. In Spain I could get tablets that had lots of magnesium and potassium. I hiked 6-8 hours daily there. No cramps! I am a major sweater, and drink lots of water. Seems to help.0
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Stay hydrated. That doesn't mean you need to buy drinks to do that. Water falls from the sky.... It also comes out of facets.1
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Here is the ad on MFP that raised the question.
according to Tim Noakes, it was the Gatorade Scientific Institute that first promoted the idea that dehydration impaired performance and we should drink sports drinks.
From what I read, there is no good information regarding the 'electrolytes' lost as sweat.
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Thanks for all the info. Sorry I was not specific, I ment to refer to Sports Hydration Drinks...
The only time that I don't feel (personally) that water is adequate is when I'm running 3+ miles outside in high heat and humidity. If I drink just water, a lot of times I'll feel off the rest of the day. So I bought those mini 80 calorie gatorades and if I have one of those on top of my water after the run, it gives much better results. Any other time I just drink water (filtered from my tap) and am just fine.2 -
Okay. You need to understand how your mind and mucslces work. You have electrical impulses that send singals to your muslce to contract. And you have Electrical Impuses in your mind that trigger memory and "thought".
When you sweat you lose moisture through your skin. Your body is robbing yourself of water to keep your muscle cool.
And you need to replenish that moisture so your muscles and thought process and function propperly.
Now pure h2o, DM water, is a purely a insulator and will not allow those electrionic impulses to fire, so you need to dirty that water somehow so your mucles and thought process can keep working.
So you need some kind of electrolyte to replenish what you lose through sweat. This is where Gatorade, PowerAde, Nuun, Vega, Science in Sports, Pacific Labs and other come into play. Those drinks have Electrolytes to help your muscles and thought process work at the full peak.
I will agree to a point that Bottled Water manufacturers try to push their product for a profit. But the fact you need to stay hydrated is not a Big Business ideal.....2 -
Okay. You need to understand how your mind and mucslces work. You have electrical impulses that send singals to your muslce to contract. And you have Electrical Impuses in your mind that trigger memory and "thought".
When you sweat you lose moisture through your skin. Your body is robbing yourself of water to keep your muscle cool.
And you need to replenish that moisture so your muscles and thought process and function propperly.
Now pure h2o, DM water, is a purely a insulator and will not allow those electrionic impulses to fire, so you need to dirty that water somehow so your mucles and thought process can keep working.
So you need some kind of electrolyte to replenish what you lose through sweat. This is where Gatorade, PowerAde, Nuun, Vega, Science in Sports, Pacific Labs and other come into play. Those drinks have Electrolytes to help your muscles and thought process work at the full peak.
I will agree to a point that Bottled Water manufacturers try to push their product for a profit. But the fact you need to stay hydrated is not a Big Business ideal.....
do you need to stay hydrated DURING exercise? There is some evidence that being dehydrated during a race actually is an effective winning mechanism.
The body maintains a careful balance of sodium within the blood. It can store sodium to maintain that balance, so there is no real need to take in additional salt to replenish what is lost. The amount of electrolytes sports drinks give you is very very small but one thing they DO give you that WILL help your performance - CARBS.
Other than that, what are these 'electrolytes' we so desperately need?
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When you lose sweat you lose more than water....contains critical electrolytes to help replace what's lost in sweat.
Both true statements, both statements also have no context as regards intensity and duration of training or how much an individual sweats.
Also no mention that your hydration and electrolyte levels get replaced from ALL sources including your everyday drinks and food. It's just advertising a product not education.
I can't imagine any circumstance where a sports hydration drink would be relevant for my wife - she would expire before perspiring! She also never exercises more than an hour so doesn't need to think how to fuel that.
On the other hand I ride multi-hour cycle rides (longest 9 hours) and sweat heavily when exercising, the calories also help fuel my performance.
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I try to stay Generally Hydrated (drink water throughout the day, big glass of water after coffee or alcohol) but do not specifically hydrate to work out. The opposite, actually. I run when I get up, just dress, pee, go run. I do that fasted and before drinking anything, that works better for me. I sweat plenty, just have a glass of water when I get home.
I guess you live somewhere cooler if you think dehydration isn't a thing...it's a risk here, sends people to the first aid tent at outdoor shows very regularly. But there is enough water in the body to keep you going until you can drink some, in most situations.
On adding electrolytes, my mind isn't made up. I can see the benefit of making the water more available to the body somehow, I know we need these minerals, but I eat food, so it seems like I get enough salt and stuff, not really in danger of diluting myself that much.
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girlinahat wrote: »Okay. You need to understand how your mind and mucslces work. You have electrical impulses that send singals to your muslce to contract. And you have Electrical Impuses in your mind that trigger memory and "thought".
When you sweat you lose moisture through your skin. Your body is robbing yourself of water to keep your muscle cool.
And you need to replenish that moisture so your muscles and thought process and function propperly.
Now pure h2o, DM water, is a purely a insulator and will not allow those electrionic impulses to fire, so you need to dirty that water somehow so your mucles and thought process can keep working.
So you need some kind of electrolyte to replenish what you lose through sweat. This is where Gatorade, PowerAde, Nuun, Vega, Science in Sports, Pacific Labs and other come into play. Those drinks have Electrolytes to help your muscles and thought process work at the full peak.
I will agree to a point that Bottled Water manufacturers try to push their product for a profit. But the fact you need to stay hydrated is not a Big Business ideal.....
1) do you need to stay hydrated DURING exercise? There is some evidence that being dehydrated during a race actually is an effective winning mechanism.
The body maintains a careful balance of sodium within the blood. It can store sodium to maintain that balance, so there is no real need to take in additional salt to replenish what is lost. The amount of electrolytes sports drinks give you is very very small but one thing they DO give you that WILL help your performance - CARBS.
2) Other than that, what are these 'electrolytes' we so desperately need?
1) As someone who practices endurance Sports, in my opinion, Yes. I would advise of drinking water and some sort of electrolyte during long distance/higher time line sports. There are studies that show if you run, cycle, hike for more that 3 hours at a stretch w/o drinking [tap] water or some sort of "sports drink" you run a risk of dehydration.
You and I agree that there is a timeline where that line is drawn. I can run a 5K and not drink during the event. I can run a 10K and be "okay" at the end of the event w/o a drink. If i were to run a Half I do not think I could make it w/o some sort of sprots drink. And you and I agree that it's a person by person istance.
2) Moden Sports drinks have more that just Sodium for electrolytes. They use Soidum, Potassium, and Calcium as "Lytes". Potassium is known to help cardiovascular systems, and help prevent cramping. So I propose the question. If you were involved in a Crit race, Road race, or running race. Wouldn't you want your cardio system running at it's most effective condition, and try to ward away cramps?2 -
I guess you live somewhere cooler if you think dehydration isn't a thing...it's a risk here, sends people to the first aid tent at outdoor shows very regularly. But there is enough water in the body to keep you going until you can drink some, in most situations.
dehydration is very much a thing, but as far as I know no one has ever died during an athletic event because of it. Slowed down, needed to drink, yes. Is it an actual RISK to health? debatable. Generally the body responds to it by making the person thirsty way way before they suffer serious health issues. People die of dehydration in the desert, not in towns.
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