Dear Monique;
My question revolves around the hydrationarticle you wrote on October 1st. I typically drink lots of water-all day long. I would say on a typical day a gallon or so is the average.I usually don’t mix in any electrolytes like Gatorade, or anything else.My question arises from this: A good friend went to the doctor recentlythinking he might be diabetic because he would get very lethargic throughoutthe day (and during workouts).The doctor told him he was drinking too much straight water anddiluting his system. Is this possible? We live in Florida, so we consistentlytrain in 90+ degree temps for 3 hours or so a day during the week and 4-5hours each day on the weekend (with a day off during the week as well).I've had lackluster mid-day energy for the past few weeks and wonderedif this might be the culprit. My nutrition is good, lots of greens, carbsand protein, low amounts of sugar, good vitamins and sports drink whileriding (mixed to full strength).Thanks for any insights,
AM
 Dear AM;
It is possible that you could be hydrating with too much plain water,but I really could not know that for certain, as your symptoms could bea number of concerns related to training and diet. However, there has beenan increased number of athletes suffering from low blood sodium or hyponatremiaduring training and competition. It appears that this condition can oftendevelop from excessive drinking of fluids (especially those low in sodium),and from large sodium losses in the athlete’s sweat. Though an athletecan become acclimated to their environment, it appears that some athleteshave higher sweat losses than others, and that some athletes lose a higherconcentration of sodium in their sweat. These athletes are referred toas “salty sweaters,” and often notice salt residue on their body aftertraining in hot and humid conditions.It is important to know your own sweat rate. If you weigh yourself beforeand after training, consider that for every pound of weight loss, you havenot replaced about 2 cups (16 ounces) of fluid lost through sweating. However,it is recommended that you rehydrate with 24 ounces of fluid to compensatefor urine losses. It is also very important to include some sodium in yourpost-exercise fluids and foods to replace sodium losses. A minimal weightloss indicates that you are keeping up with your sweat losses, while aweight loss of 1-2 pounds reflects dehydration. Gaining weight during exerciseis a sign of excessive drinking.Once you have a clear idea of how the volume you consume matches upwith your sweat losses, you can consider if you need to consume more sodiumduring exercise. A higher need for sodium is more likely to occur duringlonger training sessions in heat and humidity. Choose a sports drink withthe highest sodium content, or add some salt or an electrolyte mix to yourdrink as needed.While it is also important that you drink enough during the day to preventdehydration, avoid overhydrating. You should also maintain a salty diet,if it is not medically contraindicated, due to the weather conditions inwhich you normally train.Some signs and symptoms of hyponatremia include gastrointestinal symptomssuch as bloating and nausea. More severe symptoms include confusion, headache,wheezing, swollen hands and feet, unusual fatigue, and lack or coordination.
Thanks,
Monique

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Monique Ryan, MS, RD, is the author of the "Complete Guide to Sports Nutrition,” and “Sports Nutrition for Endurance Athletes” from VeloPress. She is a regular columnist for Inside Triathlon and VeloNews magazines and is founder of Personal Nutrition Designs, a nutrition consulting company based in the Chicago area. Ryan regularly counsels athletes on performance and health-related nutrition concerns and offers services through her website at "www.moniqueryan.com.” She has consulted with the Saturn Cycling Team since 1994, and has also worked with Volvo-Cannondale, Trek-Volkswagen, and USA Cycling. Ryan offers answers to reader’s questions each Wednesday in this weekly column. Readers are welcome to send questions directly to Ryan. The information in The feed zone does not constitute prescriptive nutritional advice. The information provided on this web site is solely for general interest of the visitors to that site and is intended for educational purposes only.