What causes delerium?
 

Most of us have been there and we've seen people in with their head in a fog unable to hold a straight line.

It happened to me again yesterday on the final climb of a long ride -- I actually had to take a break 2.5 miles from the finish line. After sitting for a few minutes and eating a couple chunks of cantaloupe, I was fine.

What's going on? If my body were crashing, you'd think bouncing back would take longer.

One thing I noticed is that as I felt worse, my pulse had been dropping to the point I was grinding up the side of a mountain at 112 bpm while the guy I was riding with was around 150. He felt fine.

I thought delerium was an element. Maybe I'm deluded. What causes delusion? ;)

KeS

The Brain can only use glucose as an energy source, so low blood glucose levels can affect brain function greatly. Cantaloupe would be a great source of simple sugars and could explain why you felt better. My 2 cents

Dude, it was the Man with a Hammer a.k.a. "The Bonk"

I thought you would have known this.

You're right -- this is pretty obvious and I should have known. I got sick of all food and anything other than plain water a couple hours before and thought I could just push through even though I knew it was dumb. But it wasn't until I took that break that I could stand the thought of eating anything.

You carry cantaloupe on the bike!?!

I must try this.

He's not a Super Fred because he's pretty.

One day at the end of a metric, I was climbing a hill, and smelled French toast. Figured someone must be having breakfast for dinner. Several blocks later, the smell was much stronger. I figured I must have been bonking so hard I was hallucinating food...! A few blocks later, I went by the wonderbread factory. If I lived in the neighborhood, I'd be hungry all the time!

I think you recovered so quickly is because you are Super Fred.

Imagine a lesser rider. They'd still be on the side of the road wondering WTF hit 'em.

This was my thought. and it will jump back real quick once you have something.

Believe it or not, they had a rest stop there. A surprising number of people took advantage of it.

"Untreated dehydration generally results in delirium, unconsciousness, swelling of the tongue and, in extreme cases, death."


you need more water......dont worry so much about the food.....

That last sentence says it all. What you experienced is the proverbial "bonk". Basically, your blood sugar gets too low for your body to function properly. You have trouble maintaining heartrate; doesn't matter how much horsepower the engine has if there is no fuel in the tank. Plus, because your brain operates on blood sugar alone, you start getting lightheaded and woozy. Fruit has a bunch of sugar in it. That's why you felt better after eating the cantaloupe.

Now then, you said you bounced back... you didn't. What you did is fill your blood with sugar for a relatively short-lived sugar high. If you had to ride for more than half an hour after your break, you'd have been back to your previous state or worse.

For me, I carry a gel with caffeine in it on longer rides. Not necessarily to eat as a matter of course, but just in case I bonk. Best anti-bonk gel I've found is that Clif Bar Expresso double shot. Lots of sugar and lots of caffeine, but be sure to be home before the high runs out else you be crawling in the ditch licking discarded candy wrappers for sustenance.

I had gels as well as a payday bar in my jersey. The problem was I'd ridden too hard earlier and gotten myself to the point that I just couldn't eat.

The break got me into a state that allowed me to nibble a bit.

You're right about crashing later. After the ride, my body temperature regulation was completely effed up and I had the shakes -- I couldn't even drive a few miles to my hotel without napping first.

Dehydration does not recover that quickly. That, added to the fact that he said he had nothing except water for an extended time it is pretty easy to diagnose low blood sugar.

thanks for playing though.

I work with a fella that does an Iron Man every year, in addition to lots of crits, 'cross, and other bike races. Spends a LOT of time in training. I am concentrating on losing weight, using a high protein and low carb diet. On my first 45 mile day, I BONKED at about 35 miles. But a half a water bottle and a gel shot and I felt great almost immediately. My coworker's comment was that I simply waited too long to refuel if my reaction was so quick - that I need to get about 100 calories around every 30-45 minutes. The next weekend, did a 72 miler and tried to fuel regularly - didn't do it too great, but was waaay better off. I then ate a HUGE taco salad from the post-ride burrito bar, and contrary to my expectations was able to drive teh 2-1/2 hours home without falling asleep.

That said, I have learned to conscientiously fuel during the ride, and eat real well right after the ride. Makes a huge difference.

You also need food to stay hydrated, water a lone will not do it.