Dehydration

I have drafted these words to start this thread, to become a Riding Tips sticky in due course.


The heat is with us; 47 degrees was last Friday’s predicted high, and even starting early and riding through to 9 am means we don’t escape some pretty hot cycling temperatures. 2 or more drink bottles and a pit stop for more liquids and any discussion will show we all have differencing views, but think we know enough about hydration. So the following notes are culled from science-backed data on the web, reproduced in more cyclist friendly words.

Preventing Dehydration While Road Biking

Cycling is a high endurance sport that can cause you to sweat a great deal. Excessive sweating can cause dehydration. To prevent dehydration while road biking, it is essential to carry an adequate supply of fluid with you at all times. Dehydration warning signs include muscle cramps, headache, nausea, fatigue, dizziness and excessive thirst. Left untreated, extreme dehydration can lead to heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Staying properly hydrated can help prevent these problems from occurring.

Electrolyte drinks are not to everyone’s taste, and many riders put one of these drinks in one bottle and just water in another. I also freeze one bottle overnight, so it is solid when placing it in the bike, it does not last forever but it helps. In a sport that is fanatical about bike and component weights, ending the ride with surplus water is not a bad thing, it is a safety net. It is also not just the water you may need for what you plan to do, but the extra you might need due to something unplanned keeping you out in the heat and sun for longer.

We often cafe stop at the end of the ride, and this tends to encourage steady fluids consumption over a chat and longer period, which is good, especially for those who may then be riding on home or driving, as dehydration can really affect not just your balance but concentration too. If you have driven to get to the start, it is also a good idea to have spare water in the car for when you finish the ride


Read more: http://www.ehow.com/how_2310711_prevent-dehydration-road-biking.html

Drink frequently. A ten-minute interval is about right.

When you become thirsty, you are already low on fluids!

The human body mechanisms generate warning signs in desperation. That is, the thirsty sensation is like the red oil light coming on in a car. Take action but control re-hydration to make it most effective

Danger Signs
Even minor dehydration will reduce your fun and performance. Remember dehydration is very dangerous! Once you have gone beyond being thirsty and beyond sweating, your body cannot regulate its temperature any longer and you are entering a critical situation. The body is not providing you any warnings and you could simply lose consciousness while riding.

The Science – read on:

Anyone who has spent a few hours outside on a hot day can attest to the negative effects of not drinking enough water. In fact losing as little as one percent of the water in your body can result in a decrease in athletic performance. After losing only ten percent you run the risk of an escalating series of events, which if unchecked can result in a fall into a coma with a likelihood of death unless immediate steps are taken.

Our bodies are made almost entirely from water. It is essential in carrying the solution of dissolved nutrients that our muscles require through the blood stream, and it carries out the vital role of cooling our body when we heat it up with vigorous exercise.

With this in mind it seems like common sense to drink as much water as possible before and during your training rides. While it is important to hydrate, if you outstrip your body's ability to process the water you are drinking your body will simply store it in your stomach or tissues. Your performance will be affected which can lead to cramps. If you really overdo it you might develop hyponatremia, where there is so much water that the concentration of nutrients in the blood becomes too low.

Your performance on the bike is closely linked to level of hydration in your body. Electrolytes, minerals that can carry an electric charge, are essential in conveying messages from our central nervous system to our muscles. When you sweat electrolytes are dissolved in the water that you secrete, constantly depleting your supply. If you get dehydrated, regardless of how much electrolytes are available there will not be enough liquid to transport them where they need to be. Further, if you drink too much water the electrolytes will become too diluted to do any good. If your body's electrolytes are depleted your muscles will simply cease working, and lock up in an extremely painful cramp.

Generally the body can handle about 500 to 750 ml every hour while you are exercising strenuously and it is not excessively hot. You should try to start drinking water at this rate about two hours before exercising, and then drink nothing in the 20 minutes just before you start to allow the water to be absorbed. Throughout the race you should take numerous small drinks, rather just a binge at a stop, or finish a full water bottle in desperation.


http://www.cycling-secrets.com - free cycling software and resources
http://monroe15.wordpress.com/ - Matt's Cycling Blog

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/845304

DEHYDRATION – THE PERFORMANCE KILLER!

So choose to drink often with sufficient quantities. Since most cyclists are not in the habit of drinking sufficient quantities frequently, you may psychologically convince yourself that you do not need this water. If you allow a mental emotion to make your choices for you, you are ignoring the reality of the human body mechanism and its physical needs. If you choose not to drink adequately, then you risk a severe penalty of dehydration and hospitalization.


Human Water Needs While Cycling
Note: water with small percentages (4 to 7%) of carbohydrates and adequate amounts of electrolytes will increase the water absorption by the body in the small intestine and replace the electrolytes lost in sweating.


BodyWeight Water Need Range per Hour Number of Water Bottles
55 kg 0.5-0.75 lt 1 to 2 regular
72 kg 0.75-1.75 lt 1 to 2 tall
90 kg 1.75-2.5 lt 1.5 to 3 tall


http://www.inlandempirecycling.com/Cycling/dehydration.htm

Seriously Great Stuff Dom and something for us to all take on board along with Nutrition advice as per Stephan discussion this morning