Originally published October 5 2005
Hydration for runners is just as important in colder temperatures
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Sports nutritionist Kim Mueller looks at an common misperception among runners; that fluid loss and dehydration are threats only in the summer months.
As the cooling effect of air and rain sometimes mask our sense of fluid loss, many athletes fail to take into account the significant amount of water loss that is still occurring.
In fact, fluid deficits of 3-8% of total body mass have been reported in individuals working in cold environments.
So, despite many athletes perception that dehydration is a problem that exists only during the summer months, it is quite possible to run yourself dry as the thermometer drops.
Well, for one, the calories ingested, especially solid calories, will be left in your stomach, leading to premature muscle fatigue (rather than being distributed to the working muscles).
The sodium in the sports drink will help increase absorption of the water into your cells, protect against hyponatremia, and also prevent muscle cramps.
When preparing for a race in the cold, you may consider alternative "warm-up" fluids like hot chocolate as means to help warm your core before taking the frigid plunge.
Calcium: Calcium is one of the most important nutrients for athletes, aiding bone health, nerve transmission, and muscle function.
One study discovered that athletes lost on average 422 mg of calcium over 3 days of training which lead to a 3.8% loss of bone mineral density over a period of 3 months.
Heat acclimatization is a process by which your body makes adjustments to promote better cooling in hot environments.
These and other changes take time to fully complete, with the most fit athletes achieving acclimatization at a more rapid rate.
Another important tip when planning a race in the heat during the winter months is to cut warm-up time in half.
Antihistamines and some blood pressure medications decrease sweating.
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