I have a hard time staying hydrate in the summer. I drinks lots of fluids. What other options might help?

Question

I'm 41, male, run 20-25 miles per week and eat fairly well. I live in Dallas and as I've gotten older, each summer is a struggle to stay hydrated and still excercise outside 4-5 days per week. Water and Gatorade dont seem to work as well anymore. I get more cramps and fatigue than I used to. What options might improve the situation?

Answer 1

Sports drinks are the best thing for someone sweeting out water and electrolytes as you are doing. But you say that Gatorade is not helping.
Water will rehydrate the cells by adding the lost water to them but dosn't replace the electrolytes, so you are still staying dehydrated. The cramps and fatigue are clear signs of this. It's a wonder you don't get stinking, horrible headaches too.
If you wern't excercising like mad over such a hot time of year water, and for people not excercises like their possessed, water would assist.

Try another sports drink if you really can't stop running most days. There are a lot of different sports drinks so try a new one. The Gatorade may just might not be what your body trully needs.

Try running in the early morning before the heat kicks in or late evening when it's much cooler and dehydration and evaporation will be less.

Always drink water though throughout the day.

As a nurse, if you were my patient, I would tell you to stop so much running and go when it's cooler, but your not my patient and can only take my advice.

Answer 2

Understand what your fluid needs really are. Weigh yourself, run for an hour, weigh yourself again. The difference is your sweat rate. 16 oz of water = 1 pound. During a hard workout in the heat, I lose over 40 oz. an hour, I've been measured as high as 73oz/hr. I always carry a bottle with me if I'm going longer than 5 miles.

If you're not drinking enough to keep up, you need more.

My guess is that you're starting out a little dehydrated. Drink a quart or two an hour before you run.

If you're only going 4-5 miles at a time and properly hydrate beforehand you can probably get away without carrying unless its over 90° or your sweat rate is higher than mine (unlikely).

Your age shouldn't be a factor. You haven't hit your peak yet.

Answer 3

Eat more foods with potassium in them to help with the cramps, or perhaps even ask your doc about a good supplement you can take during the summer season (that's what's causing the cramps)...

Keep drinking a lot of water and eating foods high in water content as well. The dehydration issue is something many people battle who work or play outdoors in the Summer.

If it continues to be an issue, speak to your doctor...there may be something s/he can suggest that'll be helpful or a medical issue may be part of your problem (unlikely, but not impossible).

Answer 4

Having trouble staying hydrated may be a sign of deeper issues. I recommend you see a doctor.

If you've had head trauma, you may be suffering from a mild concussion. Your body will then start releasing fluids in an effort to protect your brain. You'll also experience a loss of energy during your waking hours. Sleep, and rest will help, along with a course of proper nutrition which should include increased levels of a good multivitamin formula as well as increased levels of electrolytes, antioxidants and an anti-inflamatory.

Torch Hydrate should help you with the immediate issue. Get the details on that at this site...
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Good Luck!

Answer 5

I recommend you drink purified water mixed with Mineral Water 50/50. This will replace the minerals that are exiting your body continuously. the key is Mineral Water. Normal water will not hydrate your body because it's not replacing the minerals that are exiting.

I suggest that adults and children drink 40 ounces of water per 100 pounds of body weight every day. Realize that exercise, ambient temperature, and state of health affect the water needs of your body. One tip for athletes: it is healthier to drink a sports drink or water than fruit juice, soda, coffee, or milk during competition or active training periods.

dehydration causes Muscle pain. You must drink beyond your thirst.

Answer 6

I would talk to a pharmacist or doctor/nutritionist first. But my brother use to work outside in during the summers in Georgia. He bailed hay and worked picking apples. He would sweat buckets all day long. He use to eat banana and take salt pills. The salt pill acted like a reverse diuretic. You can get them at any drug store over the counter. But I would ask your doctor/nutritionist first. Good luck!!

Answer 7

Try potassium. When I was dehydrating it was recommended and work. There are supplements and of course food rich in potassium as well. Try exercising outside in the morning before the sun gets too high in the sky or late in the evening.

Answer 8

I agree on the potassium front.

I would also suggest that you try to eat foods with a higher water content as another way of trying to take in more fluids. Watermelon, Lettuce, Cucumbers, Zucchini to name a few...

Answer 9

Leg cramps can be due to salt in take. If your sweating alot of salt are you taking in enough sodium? Also you make have to take in more b6- b12 if your not eating the right foods to have the intake.