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Dehydration and Hemocrit Levels
(21 posts)
(9 voices)
Started 11 months ago ago by mootsman
Latest reply from giantron 11 months ago ago
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mootsman -
Recovering from dehydration is simple, drink water. Despite drinking water while riding you can sweat faster then your body may be able to absorb the water even though you drink lots, especially on hot and humid days.
Dehydration can cause your hemocrit level to drop making you feel weak and slow. Recovering your hemocrit level takes iron. Taking a good time released iron supplement daily will help. Take some vitamin C which helps your system absorb the iron.
Posted 11 months ago ago
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mclousing -
mootsman:
Recovering from dehydration is simple, drink water. Despite drinking water while riding you can sweat faster then your body may be able to absorb the water even though you drink lots, especially on hot and humid days.Dehydration can cause your hemocrit level to drop making you feel weak and slow. Recovering your hemocrit level takes iron. Taking a good time released iron supplement daily will help. Take some vitamin C which helps your system absorb the iron.
It is more than just drinking water, you need to replace the electroylytes you sweat out. Everyone has their favorite electroylyte drink and the hotter it is the more you need it.
Posted 11 months ago ago
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nappy77 -
Iron is not something you should take without advice from a doctor (outside of a multivitamin). You are far more likely to poison yourself with iron supplements than experience an iron deficiency during a week long ride. Electrolytes on the other hand are quite important. Ingesting mass quantities of water can lead to hyponatremia–which IS a realistic condition that could affect riders during a long, hot, week of riding.
Posted 11 months ago ago
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mootsman -
mclousing: It is more than just drinking water, you need to replace the electroylytes you sweat out. Everyone has their favorite electroylyte drink and the hotter it is the more you need it.
Completely agree with you. Electrolytes need replacing to maintain your energy level. Even with that when the hemocrit drops, so will your speed. Maybe electrolytes help maintain your hemocrit?
I have noticed at a certain level of heat and humidity I will get dehydrated no matter how much a drink because my system can’t absorb water fast enough to replace the water I loose sweating, even when I don’t eat solid food which can slow water absorption even more.
Posted 11 months ago ago
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Altidude -
Actually, dehydration causes your hematocrit levels to RISE. You are talking about hematocrit, right?
I think you should not be giving medical advice.
Posted 11 months ago ago
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mootsman -
nappy77: Iron is not something you should take without advice from a doctor (outside of a multivitamin). You are far more likely to poison yourself with iron supplements than experience an iron deficiency during a week long ride. Electrolytes on the other hand are quite important. Ingesting mass quantities of water can lead to hyponatremia–which IS a realistic condition that could affect riders during a long, hot, week of riding.
A low hemocrit (not electrolytes) causes anemia (slowness, weakness). There are natural sources of it like red meat (which I don’t eat). The poisoning effect of iron usually comes from the non-time released kind and a sudden ingestion of a large quantity. Iron is needed to rebuild the hemocrit. Other sources can be Broccoli, fish and poultry.
Posted 11 months ago ago
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mootsman -
Altidude: Actually, dehydration causes your hematocrit levels to RISE. You are talking about hematocrit, right? I think you should not be giving medical advice.
Interesting. I was reading how dehydration caused them to fall. I know felt weak from days of riding in the heat and getting dehydrated. I took a time released iron supplement along with some OJ and felt fine again (in a few hours).
Altidude: Actually, dehydration causes your hematocrit levels to RISE. You are talking about hematocrit, right? I think you should not be giving medical advice.
Posted 11 months ago ago
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nappy77 -
Unless you have some kind of kidney disease, are pregnant, or suffering from some kind of internal/external hemorrhage, you aren’t experiencing a low hematocrit from riding in ‘heat and humidity’. If you are dehydrated, your hematocrit levels are actually elevated.
You are experiencing stress and fatigue, as well as dehydration–not a loss of red blood cell levels. The hotter and more humid it is, the body respirates (breathing) faster to try to shed heat. Your heart beats faster to pump more blood through your lungs for heat exchange, and coupled with exertion from exercise, can overtax the body. It has nothing to do with red blood cell levels.
I recommend that you don’t come on to a forum and tell people to take supplements, especially supplements that can be harmful to kids and those who don’t need them.
Posted 11 months ago ago
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mootsman -
nappy77: Unless you have some kind of kidney disease, are pregnant, or suffering from some kind of internal/external hemorrhage, you aren’t experiencing a low hematocrit from riding in ‘heat and humidity’. If you are dehydrated, your hematocrit levels are actually elevated.You are experiencing stress and fatigue, as well as dehydration–not a loss of red blood cell levels. The hotter and more humid it is, the body respirates (breathing) faster to try to shed heat. Your heart beats faster to pump more blood through your lungs for heat exchange, and coupled with exertion from exercise, can overtax the body. It has nothing to do with red blood cell levels.I recommend that you don’t come on to a forum and tell people to take supplements, especially supplements that can be harmful to kids and those who don’t need them.
Thanks for pointing that out. Altidude and yourself are correct, I had it backwards. I double checked. I was a little anemic but the cause must have been dietary and not dehydration. The iron supplment fixed it though.
Posted 11 months ago ago
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mootsman -
nappy77: hyponatremia
Hyponatremia (too low of a sodium level) might explain why I crave salt at times on rides I sweat a bunch. Not sure if salt is any better or worse as a cure for it then an electrolyte drink. The weakness I had was at the very beginning of rides though and I was not salt depleted then.
Posted 11 months ago ago
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TJ Juskiewicz -
Please keep in mind that the forum offers the opportunity for opinions and you should not take this an endorsemnt from RAGBRAI. Consult your physician if you have health related questions. THANKS RAGBRAI
Posted 11 months ago ago
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indianafrank -
You have to eat salt. Salt is what allows the body to retain water. With insufficient salt, which happens when you sweat a lot, you will sweat uncontrollably and drinking water will fail to cool you down. It will simip0ly further deplete your body of salt. Then, despite drinking plenty of water your body temperature will soar. You have to take salt. Take iron if you want. East bananas and fig newtons, but you have to take salt.
Posted 11 months ago ago
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mootsman -
indianafrank: You have to eat salt. Salt is what allows the body to retain water. With insufficient salt, which happens when you sweat a lot, you will sweat uncontrollably and drinking water will fail to cool you down. It will simip0ly further deplete your body of salt. Then, despite drinking plenty of water your body temperature will soar. You have to take salt. Take iron if you want. East bananas and fig newtons, but you have to take salt.
Thanks Indianafrank. I do take in salt when I get that strong craving. I was just wondering if the electrolyte drink does the same thing since it supplies sodium also. Bananas don’t agree with me for hydrating. They mix with the water and then instead of going right through my stomach to get absorbed in the intestine, the stomach holds up the water to digest the water-banana mix instead. I assume everyone’s system is a little different here. The iron just solved the weakness I had when I started rides. Likely my diet changes when its hot out and I don’t get my usual natural sources.
Also thanks TJ. I did not think anyone would look at the RAGBRAI forum for medical advice and my post was certainly not that. Just about riding, nutrition and things that happen in the heat.
Posted 11 months ago ago
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nappy77 -
Best indicator that you are probably depleted on electrolytes is if you suffer from muscle cramps. The readily-available ‘electrolyte’ drinks (i.e. Gatorade) really don’t have much sodium, at least not enough for most endurance atheletes during competition.
I know what works for me–either table salt or salt substitute (which has a mix of potassium choloride along with regular NaCl) mixed in with Gatorade during long runs or rides… either that or I’ll pop an electrolyte supplement (thermotab or endurolyte) if I’m on the go. This works for me, but I’m prone to cramping at 2.5-3 hours of intense effort… I don’t recommend messing with supplements unless you have issues and the time to experiment with dosages–they can cause stomach cramps, etc.
Posted 11 months ago ago
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sam -
nappy77: Best indicator that you are probably depleted on electrolytes is if you suffer from muscle cramps. The readily-available ‘electrolyte’ drinks (i.e. Gatorade) really don’t have much sodium, at least not enough for most endurance atheletes during competition.I know what works for me–either table salt or salt substitute (which has a mix of potassium choloride along with regular NaCl) mixed in with Gatorade during long runs or rides… either that or I’ll pop an electrolyte supplement (thermotab or endurolyte) if I’m on the go. This works for me, but I’m prone to cramping at 2.5-3 hours of intense effort… I don’t recommend messing with supplements unless you have issues and the time to experiment with dosages–they can cause stomach cramps, etc.
You put salt in gatorade??
I hate sport drinks. I have started putting a nunn tablet in one of my water bottles to see if I’ll drink that more than I can force down gatorade. It seems to be working. At least I don’t gag on the taste.
I take supplements. But have been doing it for awhile. I take chromium under Dr. orders, Calcium to battle cramps, magnesium to chase a weird problem and just added fish oil trying to chase the same problem. But didn’t do any of it without research and then trials- including having my Dr. checking blood levals.
Posted 11 months ago ago
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