kf5nd

Doctor confirmed my suspicions, she said I was probably hyponatremic recently (drank so much that I diluted out the sodium in my blood).

The problem really began AFTER the ride, I dranks lots and lots of iced tea with lunch, then with dinner more and more iced tea. Then by bedtime, I was weak, had a headache, swollen, and was 7 pound heavier than in the morning!

Now I am weighing myself immediately before and after the ride, and when I get back to the starting weight, no more fluids! Did a half-Century ride in the heat, no problems!

note: on the bike I was taking eGels, which have lots of electrolyte. But not enough to withstand all of that iced tea.

Devoidarex

I've always disagreed with those who tell you to drink even when you aren't thirsty. Your body is quite capable of telling you when it needs fluids.

It's pretty simple. When you are thirsty, drink. If you aren't thirsty, don't.

Dr. Moto

I've always read that you need to drink before you're thirsty, because by the time you feel thirsty, you've already created a fluid deficit.

Devoidarex

Well, all my physiology courses in university never mentioned that. Your body doesn't work on a "too late" basis. It operates within a very narrow range of conditions, and when you are approaching limits to it's "comfort zone" it sends the appropriate signals.

Unless you have good reason to believe you will be in a dehydrated state in the near future (looking forward to a long ride or something), then you should only drink when you are thirsty and only until your thirst is satiated.

TheKillerPenguin

Is it possible to make your body more efficient when it comes to holding fluids? Let me explain

When I first started biking, I'd need to drink every couple of miles. Now on group rides I don't need to drink the entire time, and they're around 40miles over some big rollers. Am I just missing the signals, or has my body really become that efficient?

Devoidarex

Water is used to lubricate all of your cells, to provide a medium for the various chemical reactions in your body, and to regulate your temperature, among other things.

I don't know why you need less water, but it would stand to reason that the more efficient your body becomes at a given exercise, the water you would go through to regulate those processes.

Myself, I don't drink a great deal of fluids. I mostly drink coffee and tea, and I'm rarely thirsty. You also have to remember that foods like vegetables and fruits are mostly water. Foods like cooked rice is mostly water, etc..

I'm no expert in this area, but I think that there has been a great deal of misinformation spread about fluid intake. The original post of this thread is a perfect example of what can happen when you ignore your body and listen to the "experts."

Do you think your average wild animal ever suffers from hyponatremia? My guess is NO, because they drink only when they are thirsty and stop when they are satiated.

kf5nd

The US Track & Field organization has come out recently advising their constituents to NOT drink before thirst, to learn to listen carefully to the body's early signs of thirst...

Dr. Moto

I'm not a doctor, but I play one on the message boards.

Just curious, did the physiology courses cover athletic activity as well? I'm sure what you say is true under normal conditions, but on a hot day, when you're working hard and sweating and panting and dealing with so many simultaneous stimuli, it seems like it's all too easy to fail to recognize or even ignore a subtle feeling of thirst that might be more obvious when you're just sitting on the sofa. Is it not safer to build a small surplus of hydration so you never tip into that discomfort zone?

edit --

I just did a quick Google search and found much contradictory info on this subject. Among the first links that came up were articles with these quotes:

But there are an almost equal number of listings saying "drink when you're thirsty". My point, and I think it's a valid one, is that under conditions of strenuous exercise, not everyone can recognize when they are thirsty, so it's prudent to drink regularly to avoid being late with hydration. But within reason, of course; most of the articles also warn about overhydration.

Spanky4142

Well if you are thirsty, Drink. If you are not then don't.. First you need to look at your daily activities. If you work outside in the hot sun, you need to drink more than someone in an AC office.. Always start drinking fluids at least two hours before a long ride. During a long work out, Keep notice of how much you sweat and try to drink a little more than that. If you ever stop sweating, STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING and get in the coolest place you can find and call for help. You could be having a heat stroke. Also, during the day, look at your urine. If it's dark yellow and you are not taking anything that can make it that color, chances are that you could be dehydrated. On the other hand, if you drink alot during the day and your urine is clear as water, you are over hydradted. I am not a doctor but I am an EMT-P. I see this all the time in the summer months with all types of patients. Our medical director is the one that pointed this out to me and it holds to be true. He also is an avid Biker!!!! I am new with the diet thing and biking too but this is somthing that you can trust me on !!!
Hope this helps!!!