tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6679795642497453426.post3357104429587354440..comments2008-11-02T14:03:09.396-08:00Joe Frielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06435040653614290227jfriel@trainingbible.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6679795642497453426.post-7518000078140965632008-09-24T06:08:00.000-07:002008-09-24T06:08:00.000-07:00Several of the comments here are perfect examples of the many misconceptions around this issue. Fortunately, none of you are to blame. The sports drinks manufacturers utilize powerful marketing strategies seemingly based on science that are difficult to refute for the everyday athlete.<BR/><BR/><I>Nate said, "What about sodium loading before an event? I know there is a study going on right now about drinking a high sodium drink 1 hour before exercise.</I><BR/><BR/>Sorry folks, we cannot store or stock pile sodium for use later. Our physiology just does not work that way, and the same holds true for water. We cannot store it if we ingest a few Liters one hour before a race.<BR/><BR/>When you ingest excessive amounts of sodium or water, your kidneys will simply excrete the unnecessary amount. Yes, ingesting a sodium load will promote fluid retention, but eventually you will dump the excess sodium and the volume (your plasma volume) will return to its normal level.<BR/><BR/><I>Nate said, "I also wonder whether I can drink as much as I want (within reasonable limits of course) as long as I add sodium to the water ?</I><BR/><BR/>This holds true only if you ingest a fluid that is the same "tonicity" of your plasma---about 140 mmol Na/L. Sports drinks are in the range of 18-20 mmol Na/l, so you can do the math on how much saltier a sports drink would be if it were the same concentration of your bodily fluids. Suffice to say that not many people will be ingesting fluids of this sort.<BR/><BR/>However there is no need to, anyway, but this is a very common line of thinking brought on by Gatorade as they have punted their products as preventing hyponatremia. This leads people to think just what you have, Stefan---I can drink all I want if only I ingest some sodium with it.<BR/><BR/>Truth be told, however, is that even a sports drink will dilute your sodium concentration when ingested above the level of thirst.<BR/><BR/>So the take home message here is to drink to thirst. As humans we have a highly-evolved thirst mechanism that prevents us from drinking too much, but also prevents us from drinking too little.<BR/><BR/>Kind Regards,<BR/>Jonathan DugasThe Sports Scientistshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18441880264622088281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6679795642497453426.post-27061379763514195802008-09-12T14:24:00.000-07:002008-09-12T14:24:00.000-07:00Hi Anon and everyone else--I apologize for the gap in postings after Hydration part 1. Our home was broken into and among the many items stolen were our computers. I'm writing this from phone. As soon as things settle down with polce, insurance, etc and I get a new computer I'll get back to it. Thanks for eading my blog.Joe Frielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06435040653614290227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6679795642497453426.post-36515356804181206332008-09-12T08:03:00.000-07:002008-09-12T08:03:00.000-07:00When will part 2 be posted?! I'm dying to read it. I've had stomach issues during and after races this summer and I suspect over-hydration and too highly-concentrated sports drinks are the culprit.<BR/><BR/>Is there any legitimacy to Hammer's claims that "complex carbohydrates," i.e. the maltodextrin they use in all their drinks can be absorbed well at a higher concentration than the monosaccharides that are commonly found in other sports drinks? If so what implications does that have for drinks with multiple sources of carbs (e.g. my drink mix that has fructose, maltodextrin, and glucose)?<BR/><BR/>Thanks.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6679795642497453426.post-81600682319989190032008-09-06T13:30:00.000-07:002008-09-06T13:30:00.000-07:00Andrew--TSS/day means daily average Training Stress Score. It really woudn't mean anything to you unless you use WKO+ software (find at www.trainingpeaks.com).Joe Frielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06435040653614290227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6679795642497453426.post-57489483549217031972008-09-06T10:40:00.000-07:002008-09-06T10:40:00.000-07:00Joe, <BR/><BR/>I'm new to your blog, but have been using your bible for 5 yrs now and love it! I'm curious to what TSS/day is?<BR/>ThanksAndrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14367968666200642935noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6679795642497453426.post-83372820345925533922008-09-05T16:27:00.000-07:002008-09-05T16:27:00.000-07:00Ross and Jonathan--Good point. I stand corrected. BTW, you have an excellent website. Good info.Joe Frielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06435040653614290227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6679795642497453426.post-67022006653965509112008-09-05T11:41:00.000-07:002008-09-05T11:41:00.000-07:00How about simply drinking an electrolyte replacement? Something like Gatorade, but without the sugar.<BR/><BR/>I use one, it has basically no calories, and just a faint citrus taste, but provides a little sodium, magnesium, potassium, and some other minerals.BFWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03202031495623868181noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6679795642497453426.post-40173672685149710272008-09-05T10:50:00.000-07:002008-09-05T10:50:00.000-07:00What about athletes watching their sodium intake to control hypertension?peter ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04452217491875636852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6679795642497453426.post-78755825617329053302008-09-05T10:38:00.000-07:002008-09-05T10:38:00.000-07:00I also wonder whether I can drink as much as I want (within reasonable limits of course) as long as I add sodium to the water ?Stefannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6679795642497453426.post-28993600015205210642008-09-05T09:29:00.000-07:002008-09-05T09:29:00.000-07:00What if I drink a high sodium drink during exercise. If I can stomach it, is that the best of both worlds?<BR/><BR/>What about sodium loading before an event? I know there is a study going on right now about drinking a high sodium drink 1 hour before exercise.Natehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08255410301246682534noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6679795642497453426.post-61039280377318687692008-09-05T09:20:00.000-07:002008-09-05T09:20:00.000-07:00Looking forward to this series! Also curious about your thoughts on hydration, leg cramps, and sodium.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6679795642497453426.post-56139244908044843632008-09-05T09:09:00.000-07:002008-09-05T09:09:00.000-07:00Hi Joe,<BR/><BR/>Thanks for posting on this topic. There is so much dogma associated with fluid balance that it will take many years before we can expel it. Your post will help in the long run as many athletes read your blog.<BR/><BR/>Just one thing---you mention that depletion of sodium is a cause of hyponatremia. In fact this is a myth that is kept alive by the sports drinks companies, especially Gatorade. Hyponatremia is a disorder of <B>fluid</B> balance, not sodium balance.<BR/><BR/>Although we lose some sodium in sweat, there are two important aspects to remember. First, the amount of sodium is very small compared to what we have available in the body. Second, we are also losing volume (i.e. sweat) with the sodium, and as we remove fluid from our plasma, it will cause the sodium concentration to rise, not fall.<BR/><BR/>So we do lose both---sodium and volume, but the volume losses have a much more profound effect on the sodium concentration. If you do not drink water to thirst, you can expect the sodium concentration to rise. If you drink water to thirst, you can expect to maintain the sodium concentration just where your body likes it. Finally, if you drink water beyond your thirst, you can expect the sodium concentration to fall, most likely in direct proportion to the excessiveness of the ingested fluid volume---that is, the more you drink, the lower your sodium concentration will drop.<BR/><BR/>We did an entire series on dehydration on our <A HREF="http://www.sportsscientists.com/2008/01/featured-series-on-science-of-sport.html" REL="nofollow">Science of Sport</A>Science of Sport website, and some of your readers might be interested in reading that.<BR/><BR/>Well done again on the great post.<BR/><BR/>Kind Regards,<BR/>JonathanRoss Tucker and Jonathan Dugashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08206700707221642727noreply@blogger.com