Electrolytes - did you know?

Just a few facts about electrolytes and heat acclimatisation

This theme continues as I have to confess I am quite obsessed with electrolytes and heat acclimatisation during exercise since having moved to Cyprus.

 

The amount of sodium lost in sweat is not very much, unless sweating is extreme.  Exercising in high temperatures, or sustaining hard exercise for a prolonged amount of time can lead to excessive amounts of water loss through sweating.  Usually, there is a mechanism that maintains the correct concentration of sodium and potassium in the body. 

 

If excessive sweating continues through being continually exposed to high temperatures, acclimatisation occurs.  This can take anything from 7 to 10 days.  The amount of salts lost in your sweat finally reduces and your need for supplementation may be somewhat reduced. 

 

Also note, if you are unwell, or have a condition that leads to water loss through loose stools, the sodium in the gastric juices and potassium in the pancreatic and intestinal juice can be lost in large amounts and this will lead to an electrolyte imbalance.

 



Electrolytes and the main job they do



Heat acclimatisation facts

• Athletes with a high VO2 max (maximal aerobic power), will acclimatise to higher temperatures faster.

• Sleep deprivation reduces ones heat tolerances.

• Acclimatisation can reduce after a few days, or weeks of inactivity.

• Athletes with a high VO2 max will de-acclimatise slower than less fit counterparts

 

So, there's food for thought...I hope this helps your training.  Don't forget to check out my previous blogs on electrolytes/heat illnesses and sweating.

 

That's all from me for now, good bye from your dedicated Sports Massage Therapist. 

 

P.S. Don't forget to sign up the Limassol Sports Massage website for tips, updates and special offers.

Sweaty betty

Well it's getting really hot and humid here in Cyprus.  Running the trails is getting a little more challenging and we are losing a hec of a lot of water.  I thought that it was time to look at why we sweat.

 

Sweating cools us down

We sweat to cool the body down.  The water sits on the surface of the skin and cools the body down by allowing heat to escape from the body.  We start to sweat when our body temperature increases by 0.25 to 0.5 % and our sweat glands are stimulated.  Sweating is most effective at cooling our bodies when a glistening film is produced on to the skin.  When we form sweat droplets, our bodies cease to cool as effectively as the rate of production exceeds the rate of evaporation.

 

Are there factors that affect sweating?

Yes, activity, humidity, the temperature of the environment and the clothes worn affect the amount that we sweat.  Humidity affects us because perspiration evaporation becomes lower than it would be in dry weather conditions.  We also feel warmer when humidity is high.  Our sweating mechanisms adapt to our workout.  Sweat becomes more dilute as we improve our sweating systems.

Running in the heat

Sweaty facts

• There are about 2 million sweat pores on the body

• Women have more sweat glands than men

• Men produce more sweat than women

• Sweat is odourless

• Bacteria build up on the surface of the skin causes sweat to smell

• There are 2 different types of sweat glands

• Hot humid weather can make people more predisposed to getting heat rash and heat exhaustion

 

Can you control your sweating?

Wearing loose, technical clothing can help wick moisture away from the skin.  Allowing the body to adapt to its training routine, or to warmer weather, usually reduces the amount of sweat produced.   Severe excessive and problematic sweating may be due to 'hyperhidrosis'.

 

That's all from me for now, good bye from your dedicated Sports Massage Therapist.  Happy training!

 

 

P.S. Don't forget to sign up the Limassol Sports Massage website for tips, updates and special offers.

 

When goosebumps get you on your hot run

Have you ever trained so hard in the heat that you've experienced the strangest of symptoms?  With the heat and humidity upon us here in Cyprus, I thought that I would put my Sports First Aider hat on and give you the low down on how the heat may impact the body.

Did you know that there is heat exhaustion and heat stroke?  They are quite different conditions and the latter is the more evil....

 

 

What is Heat exhaustion?

It is caused by salt and water loss from the body caused by sweating excessively.  It comes on slow and gets those of us not used to training in the heat and humidity.  If you have been unwell with sickness or diarrhoea, be careful as you are more likely to suffer from heat exhaustion. 

 

How to treat it?

• Electrolytes with fluids (our favourite is Micromania's High 5)

• Cool down (sit in shade, poor water on your head, remove any extra clothing)

• Get medical help if the symptoms don't subside fairly quickly

 

What is heat stroke?

The thermostat in the brain fails and you lose the ability to regulate your body temperature. Long exposure to hot conditions often bring this on. It can follow on from heat exhaustion when sweating stops and the body loses its ability to cool itself down. It can come on very fast. Goosebumps can often follow, as your body just can't tell what the temperature is!

 

How to treat it?

•  The aim is to lower the body's temperature asap - fan, sponge with cold water, or even poor cold water over the casualty

• Get urgent medical help

 

How can I tell them apart?

Heat exhaustion                                                                                                          Heat stroke

Comes on slow                                                                                                  Comes on  very fast

Sweating, pale, clammy skin                                                                         Hot, flushed, dry skin

Cramps                                                                                                                                               

Rapid, weakening pulse and breathing                                                       Full bounding pulse

                                                                                                       Body temperature above 40 deg

                                                                                                                                     Restlessness

                                                                                                   Deterioration in level of response

                                                                                                                                            Collapse

 

An alarming reality about Heat Stroke

 

For those of us who love to run the trails in the blistering heat and humidity, it is imperative to know when you're beat. It is important to run with others so that you have help if necessary and so that someone can point out when you are beat, even if you think you're not. I have been guilty of the latter and vaguely remember insisting that I was okay to continue running, even though I had to dive for shade under the smallest of bushes every few meters, whilst breathing like Darth Vader, feeling so restless and collapsing on thorns and prickles. 

 

 

Tips

• Acclimatise to the heat/humidity

• Be more gentle with yourself if you have been unwell

• Wear a light coloured technical cap and wet it if you have to

• Wear appropriate technical clothing

• Start earlier when it is cooler

• Listen to your body - are you beat?

• Have adequate electrolytes and fluids

• Make sure you've been eating and drinking appropriately on the build up to your run

• Slow down if necessary

• Do a first aid course and become more aware

• Run with a Club who has the necessary experience to spot the warning signs

• Train appropriately and the sky is the limit

That's all from me, your dedicated Sports Massage Therapist, for now...speak again soon and safe training!

 

P.S. Don't forget to sign up the Limassol Sports Massage website for tips, updates and special offers.