Originally Posted by
donheff
An article in Science Daily says that runners (and by extension, undoubtedly cyclers) are drinking too much water. I summary: experts recommend drinking only when thirsty and accept a temporary loss of a few pounds after running (riding in our case). They found that a third of runners follow a pre-set drinking schedule and a third wrongly believe they need extra salts. The danger is that over-hydration will dilute sodium in the blood to dangerous levels. From the article: "The International Marathon Medical Directors Association recommends that runners drink only when thirsty." After a dehydration episode a few years ago I have been loading up on water -- maybe too much?
I wonder if the people who have dangerously low sodium levels, don't have other issues that are causing a low sodium level to begin with. For a normal person, the kidneys should take care of the excess water to maintain a proper electrolyte balance, simply by diverting it into the bladder. You lose some sodium in sweat, so if your sweating heavily, then you could possibly lose some sodium, but that simply means you need to mix an electrolyte into your water, or eat something that contains some sodium. A hand full of GORP made with salted peanuts every 20 minutes or so is probably better for you, then not getting enough water.