From: Johnlebl@aol.com
Date: Fri Aug 02 2002 - 12:20:43 CDT
In a message dated 08/02/2002 7:12:17 AM Central Daylight Time,
g.dboyd@verizon.net writes:
> My own experience with this was severe nightime leg cramps after hiking,
> particularly in the summer. After some medical consultation I determined
> that it was caused by high levels of water intake and not enough sodium.
> Reducing the volume of water to a "reasonable" amount was the answer.
>
> It is worth some research, particularly for those of us in the south and
> southwest US who are often involved in outdoor activities in high
> temperature conditions.
>
>
Gary et al,
Reading the reports of the latest Army fatalities and the condition
attributed to their deaths indicates that the body just simply can't
assimilate that much water (3 gallons per day or more) and besides exactly
what you mention happening, it causes a swelling of the brain and this is
what killed the latest two recruits.
A little bit of cell biology and homeostasis review will bear this out. Cell
membranes can only pass so much fluid through them per hour. Championship
grade athletes tinker with this all the time. Hikers don't usually get into
the physiology of it, but are simply told "drink a lot of water". What is "a
lot" to one person may be entirely different than what is "a lot" to another.
That is where people get into trouble.
I heard it mentioned several times by people at Philmont that should have
known better (BTW, not staff, but advisors) that "drinking too much water
never killed anybody". This is just not so. It has and will again to the
misinformed. The key here is not to be misinformed.
I reply to this in the manner above so that nobody gets the idea they can
just add electrolytes or salt and everything is OK, they can drink all they
want.
I have found that I require less water when I use a hydration bladder and
constantly sip water as opposed to gulping from a canteen when stopping to
take a "water break".
Being from a hot and humid place, water intake is important for the cooling
effect also. Evaporation is not as much a cooling factor here as in drier
areas.
Several advisors this year told me I was no drinking enough water because I
want drinking as much as they were. I spend my entire day outside in the
heat. They spend their entire day in front of a computer screen.
Now I ask you, who knows more about water consumption needs for me? Them?
Or me?
Point is not to say "I know it all" but to say if one pays attention and if
one is in the environment, enough (not just 12 days on the trail) then they
can determine their water needs.
When I go hiking into the Rio Grande canyons in summertime, I do have to up
my intake somewhat to accommodate for higher evaporation levels and even
though diabetic, I do add some Gatorade powder to my drinking water for
electrolyte replacement. Not much, but some.
If a person would do the suggested "shakedowns" Philmont suggests, then they
would know what their water consumption is.
John LeBlanc
Eagle Class of 1959
Phirst Phil Ptrek 1959
PhilTrek 2002 630H2 Trek 16
My latest adventure was yesterday,
Today is not over yet!
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