Water Intake/Fluid Replacement

[Kilted Heathen]

Your best canteen is your own stomach!

[Parabellum]

Drink a quart an hour.

[Spartan]

If yer piss starts gettin' dark yella, ya'll ain't drinkin' enough.

[Silverback]

Over-hydration is what Im talking about. I ususally drink a gallon of water per day, i.e. 4 quarts 2 before lunch and 2 after. I think this is too much and may be diluting the salt in my body, and other soldiers need to be aware of this because it makes you tired more quickly.

Facts on Hyponatremia
For years, heath care and fitness professionals have stressed the importance of fluid intake and replacement in preventing dehydration. Therefore, most health conscience individuals are educated about dehydration and cases of dehydration have decreased in recent years. Yet, in some cases, people may take dehydration prevention a bit too far and unintentionally drink too much water. Drinking an excessive surplus of water can lead to over-hydration or hyponatremia. Although hyponatremia is rare and seen primarily in serious endurance athletes, such as marathon runners, it can be dangerous and fitness enthusiasts should be aware of the condition.

The MedTerms.com medical dictionary defines hyponatremia as an abnormally low concentration of sodium in the blood. Hyponatremia is also known as ?water intoxication.? Sodium (salt and chloride) is an electrolyte, which helps the body distribute water. This is essential for water balance and for your muscles and organs to function effectively. Electrolytes are lost through sweat. When exercising, our body temperature rises and we sweat to keep cool. The more we sweat, the more sodium lost. Sweat loss varies from as little as 16 ounces to over three quarts during each hour of exercise (Gatorade Sports and Science Institute). For this reason, it is important to replace lost body fluids during and after exercise. To completely replace these fluids, you must not only replace water, but also sodium and chloride. Those who consume excessive amounts of water after exercise can further deplete sodium and chloride levels, leading to electrolyte depletion and possibly over-hydration.

Symptoms of Hyponatremia
The symptoms of hyponatremia are very similar to the symptoms of heat illness. Both illnesses can be life threatening, therefore, if you or someone you know is experiencing the symptoms below, it is extremely important to seek medical attention immediately. The most common symptoms are:
Fatigue
Lightheadedness
Weakness
Cramping
Weight gain
Nausea
Bloating and/or swelling
Dizziness
Headache
Confusion
Fainting
Disorientation
Seizures (severe cases)
Coma (severe cases)

Prevention of Hyponatremia
Over-hydration can be easily prevented by carefully monitoring your fluid intake and replacing all necessary fluids after a long bout of intense exercise. USA Track and Field (USATF), the governing body of track and field recommends that exercisers ?be sensitive to the onset of thirst as the signal to drink, rather than staying ahead of thirst.? By being aware of when you are thirsty, you will help prevent dehydration as well as decreasing the risk of over-hydration (ACE Fitness Matters). In other words, drink fluid only when you need to. To replace lost fluids during and/or after exercise, drink small amounts of fluid as needed throughout your workout to remain hydrated. Sports drinks, such as Gatorade, contain electrolytes and are therefore a good source of sodium and chloride. Also, prior to a race, endurance athletes may be instructed to eat salty snacks, such as pretzels or tomato juice to build sodium reserves. Furthermore, if an endurance athlete is taking any over-the-counter pain medications or prescription medicine, he or she may be asked to consult a doctor as some medications reduce the body?s capability to conserve salt.

*Important Message*
Remember that hyponatremia is a rare condition for the everyday exerciser, which classifies the majority of the active population. Please do not regularly substitute other fluids for water. Our bodies are made up of approximately 65% water and water intake is essential for healthy living. However, if you consider yourself an endurance athlete (e.g. marathon runner, Ironman triathlete), you also need to replace electrolytes to avoid ?water intoxication?. Likewise, please do not increase salt in your diet as a prevention method for hyponatremia as an excess of salt is believed to be a risk factor for hypertension. A sports drink will do the trick for most people.


Stephanie M. Vlach, M.S.

[Table of Elements Skater]

HEAT (CAT) -TEMP.(F) - EASYWORK - MODERATEWORK - HARDWORK
1 ----- 78-81.9 ----- 1/2 ---------- 1/2 ---------- 1/2

2 -------- 82-84.9 ----- 3/4 ---------- 3/4 ---------- 1

3 ------- 88-89.9 ----- 3/4 ---------- 3/4 ---------- 1

4 -------- ABOVE 90 ----- 1 ---------- 1 ---------- 1

WARM WEATHER TRAINING
NOTE: BASED ON QUARTS PER HOUR WORK LOAD


Courtesy of the RANGER HANDBOOK

[Steadfast]

HEAT (CAT) -TEMP.(F) - EASYWORK - MODERATEWORK - HARDWORK
1 ----- 78-81.9 ----- 1/2 ---------- 1/2 ---------- 1/2

2 -------- 82-84.9 ----- 3/4 ---------- 3/4 ---------- 1

3 ------- 88-89.9 ----- 3/4 ---------- 3/4 ---------- 1

4 -------- ABOVE 90 ----- 1 ---------- 1 ---------- 1

WARM WEATHER TRAINING
NOTE: BASED ON QUARTS PER HOUR WORK LOAD


Courtesy of the RANGER HANDBOOK

So TOES, say I am in 102 degree heat carrying 85 lb ruck with an additional 25 lb LBE including rifle. I have packed 8 qts. of water for 4 days with no place to get more water. I am humping rugged terrain about 8 hours per day. How much water should I drink perday Smiley?


.

[Silverback]

HEAT (CAT) -TEMP.(F) - EASYWORK - MODERATEWORK - HARDWORK
1 ----- 78-81.9 ----- 1/2 ---------- 1/2 ---------- 1/2

2 -------- 82-84.9 ----- 3/4 ---------- 3/4 ---------- 1

3 ------- 88-89.9 ----- 3/4 ---------- 3/4 ---------- 1

4 -------- ABOVE 90 ----- 1 ---------- 1 ---------- 1

WARM WEATHER TRAINING
NOTE: BASED ON QUARTS PER HOUR WORK LOAD


Courtesy of the RANGER HANDBOOK

So TOES, say I am in 102 degree heat carrying 85 lb ruck with an additional 25 lb LBE including rifle. I have packed 8 qts. of water for 4 days with no place to get more water. I am humping rugged terrain about 8 hours per day. How much water should I drink perday Smiley?.

I KNOW I KNOW...This is an easy question to answer...

[Table of Elements Skater]

2 quarts a day

[Steadfast]

HEAT (CAT) -TEMP.(F) - EASYWORK - MODERATEWORK - HARDWORK
1 ----- 78-81.9 ----- 1/2 ---------- 1/2 ---------- 1/2

2 -------- 82-84.9 ----- 3/4 ---------- 3/4 ---------- 1

3 ------- 88-89.9 ----- 3/4 ---------- 3/4 ---------- 1

4 -------- ABOVE 90 ----- 1 ---------- 1 ---------- 1

WARM WEATHER TRAINING
NOTE: BASED ON QUARTS PER HOUR WORK LOAD


Courtesy of the RANGER HANDBOOK

2 quarts a day

TOES, If you listed the above chart, why did you stray from that chart to get your answer?


.

[Table of Elements Skater]

No exact definition of "hard work".

[Parabellum]

No exact definition of "hard work".

There is an exact rule on this site that you will address all Rangers as "Ranger" dickhead.

[Table of Elements Skater]

It was a statement, to no one in particular. Though ill push some out Ranger H8 Train.