How much water should you drink

[deanbean]

Just read an interesting article from The Science of Sport, regarding hydration tactics;

"The body's thirst mechanism is absolutely exquisite," he says. "It is controlled primarily by the sodium level in the blood, and the moment this rises, as a result of losing water, we become thirsty." Even during exercise, when we're more likely to be tuned into our pounding heart and burning lungs than a dry mouth? "It's likely that during exercise, thirst is adjusted so that we don't need to drink all the time (which isn't efficient) but provided we have access to fluid when we do become thirsty, we stay safe," says Tucker.

This goes against what I've read in Ride magazine in a recent article, cannot remember the article or the author, but it confirms what I've always believed, drink when you are thirsty, your body knows when it needs water. I've followed this since I started ultra's in the early 80's, and have never had a problem with dehydration, through some pretty hot days.

 

I trained myself to not need to drink in distances under 21km, due to the problems carrying water in those days, who remembers these bottles

and the Leppin goo belts(I've still got one hanging in my cupboard). You couldn't carry more than 500ml.

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/apr/18/how-much-water-drink-marathon

[pbp2007]

Since I started running seriously a few years ago, I changed my drinking pattern to drink to thirst, whether running or biking. I also got accustomed to drinking water generally and eating or taking a gel to refuel.

The thing is, for many riders, their "fuel" is their drink and so if they want to keep refuelling they are obliged to keep drinking.

[gummibear]

Tim Noakes did tests at Ironman a few years back and found over hydration to be worse than dehydration.

[walkerr]

Tim Noakes did tests at Ironman a few years back and found over hydration to be worse than dehydration.

 

My issue is as an amateur - how do you know? I finish some rides feeling great, and others on my knees feeling k*k.

 

Often it's down to over exertion above my training level - sometimes though, I'm pretty sure it's dehydration or electrolyte depletion. I don't think I've gone into over hydration coz I'm a sweaty g*t but how do you know?

 

I'd love it if when you crossed the line they could do a body scan or pinprick blood sample and say "you need more X when you ride" where X could be fluid, carbs, sodium, more training etc etc. I hate just guessing and never being sure the missing elements

 

Edit - fix typo

Edited April 20, 2012 by walkerr

[Agteros]

There is no formula. Drink according to thirst, the body knows best.

 

:thumbup: To everybody else who also stated the above!

[Gluteus Maximus]

An interesting thing I heard from body-builers is that proper hydration before the exercise is more important than during. They reason that you properly hydrate an hour before the event. This is to make sure you don't carry a bag of water in your belly, but have it in your bloodstream by the commecement event. Then you carry a light water bottle for the throat.

 

Now, I know that this will not work for 3h+ races, but for most of my riding it has been very efficient.

 

On the "thirst" idea, we as humans have the incredible capacity to shut down our senses, I know of guys that got kidney problems due to improper hydration.

 

Of course you sould also take in enough salt, we lose alot with sweat. Then, no matter how hydrated you are, you'll be flat

[seven]

We don't "shut down" our thirst, or any other senses... we just choose to ignore it... 'listen' to it, and it is the best approach you can have to hydration...

 

Taking in carbs are a lot more important than water, and water intake should suffice if it is used to ingest a 'isotonic' carb load that the GI tract can handle.

 

The salt in sweat is a mechanism of getting rid of excess salt, and there is no need to replace it... the average person have a daily salt intake which is 2-3 times more than the recommended max of 250mg.