Should I drink water while running?

A

ascorbic

0
Hi all, I always thought that drinking water (about 100ml) every 25 minutes or so of running was good to prevent dehydration and help endurance. However I read an article about HYPONATREMIA, a severe condition that can be induced by drinking water in long endurance activities. Basically the logic is that when you run for long periods the body responds by retaining fluids and if you drink water you become over hydrated, serum sodium decreases below normal levels and this can lead to severe symptoms including coma.
So the question is: is drinking water while you run good?
 
Hyponatremia is pretty hard to induce, so don't worry. It would require you to basically be slamming liters of water at a time. Go ahead and drink water while running. If you feel that you can use it, then you can.
 
Ok thanks, the reason I posted this is that I also read that about 14% of marathon runners suffer from this condition, and I thought it was a significant figure.
 
Good point, but then you have to consider the mentality of somebody who's doing a marathon. They'll tend to assume that they need waaaay more water than they do, and they end up engorging themselves.

The unfortunate thing about hyponatremia is that many of its symptoms are the same as those of dehydration. But as long as you only drink water in modest amounts, you'll be fine. Very, very few people that I know of personally have ever had this condition.
 
So what is the suggested amount of water to drink in a long distance running session in order to prevent either dehydration or hyponatremia?
 
There's no one amount. Everyone retains different amounts of water, sweats more or less, and has different electrolyte losses from sweat. As I said, just drink modest amounts when you feel like you can use it. Your body is its own regulator, so you shouldn't even have to overthink it.
 
I would say it is of little to no concern for us mere mortals on most training days. If you do more than 10 miles on your weekly long runs then using an electrolite fortified drink mix lime Accelerade will keep you in balance and give you a modest sugar boost (although you shouldn't experience hitting the wall if you are fully carb-loaded before your weekly long runs unless you are going 15+ miles. I've read that the average person bounces at mile 18 but it really depends on the individual (gender/body type/body composition). That being said, 100ml every 3 to 4 miles presents virtually zero risk. In fact, I would be more concerned about dehydration on my long runs with such modest consumption. That's my two cents. And yes, listen to your body. You can try to pinpoint the consumption needed to minimize thirst onset but not cause over hydration symptoms like side aches. Weighing yourself before and after runs can also give you a ballpark idea as to whether or not you are drinking too much or too little. More than two to three pounds lost(depending on your weight) and you may want to consider a modest increase in your consumption. Good luck to you.
 
I think you should drink lots of water before running. Drinking lots of water before running has lots of benefits especially in the morning. There is no side affect.

I also know another theory and which is clinically proven. Some people have stomach problem. They feel this problem often. I would like to suggest them they also should drink lots of water before running. All the germs from their belly would come out via sweating. This is very effective technique if they do not want to take medicine.
 
listen to your body do not force fluids down.
drink plenty of water before the race and grab a cup of water at every station and you should be ok.
Art
 
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