Coming into the last mile of a 3 hour run today, I felt a slight twinge of a knot in my hamstring that was causing some cramping...FROM HAMMER NUTRITION
"Cramping is your body's final warning signal that you're on empty electrolyte wise. However, your performance is deteriorating and you are slowing down long before you feel the slightest twinge of a cramp. To keep your body's muscular, digestive, nervous, and cardiac systems firing on all cylinders you need a consistent supply of all electrolytic minerals, not just sodium and potassium. Plus, in many instances, you require greater volumes of electrolytes than any sports drink or gel can provide. That is why Endurolytes fulfills such a crucial component of your fueling by supplying your body with a perfectly balanced, full-spectrum, rapidly assimilated electrolyte source, allowing you to meet your widely variable electrolyte needs with tremendous precision, hour after hour, no matter what the weather throws at you."
I have seen cramping at its worst. When I had my bout with Renal Failure, I thought the SEVERE CRAMPING was a sodium issue. Oddly, it was way worse. Sometimes cramping can come from dehydration or not enough water. However, if you up your water intake and the actual cause is low sodium, the effects can be dire. With a low sodium count and a simultanous increase of water, athletes can experience hyponatremia. NOT GOOD.
So what to do?
Three Ways To Maintain Best Performance
Supplement. Hydrate. Observe.
Supplement: A staple of mine on every run are electrolyte supplements to assure I have proper balance. Hammer's enudrolyte are the most efficient for me. They assure that the essential elements keep me healthy and balanced.If my sodium is low, failure is imminent. If my electrolytes are low, this to can cause failure. Many runners think that replenishing sodium (salt-tabs) will address the electrolytes. Not so. Endurolytes contains not only sodium (40mg), but other essentials.
Sodium (as Sodium Chloride) 40mg Chloride (as Sodium Chloride) 60mg
Calcium (as Chelate) 50mg
Magnesium (as Chelate) 25mg
Potassium (as Chelate) 25mg
Vitamin B-6 (as Pyridoxine HCL) 6.6mg
Manganese (as Chelate) 1.6mg
L-Tyrosine
The above is a fancy list to say "THINGS YOUR BODY MUST HAVE."
Supplement Suggestion: Add Hammer's Endurolytes today.
Hydration: Seek to take in 22-28 oz of water an hour under normal conditions. However, once the temps are above 80 degrees experience will determine if more is needed. Anything under 22oz, dehyration can hit fast. Under-hydrating, in my opinion, is the first cause of decreased performance.
Hydration Suggestion: Carry a water bottle on every run.
Observe: You are the best determinatation of what is going on inside. Symptoms of dehydration usually begin with thirst and progress to more alarming manifestations as the need for water becomes more dire. The initial signs and symptoms of mild dehydration in adults appear when the body has lost about 2% of it's total fluid. These mild dehydration symptoms are often (but not limited to):
•Thirst
•Loss of Appetite
•Dry Skin
•Skin Flushing
•Dark Colored Urine
•Dry Mouth
•fatigue or Weakness
•Chills
•Head Rushes
If the dehydration is allowed to continue unabated, when the total fluid loss reaches 5% the following effects of dehydration are normally experienced:
•Increased heart rate
•Increased respiration
•Decreased sweating
•Decreased urination
•Increased body temperature
•Extreme fatigue
•Muscle cramps
•Headaches
•Nausea
•Tingling of the limbs
When the body reaches 10% fluid loss emergency help is needed IMMEDIATELY! 10% fluid loss and above is often fatal! Symptoms of severe dehydration include:
•Muscle spasms
•Vomiting
•Racing pulse
•Shriveled skin
•Dim vision
•Painful urination
•Confusion
•Difficulty breathing
•Seizures
•Chest and Abdominal pain
•unconsciousness
In reality, unless you are throttling in severe conditions (super long or super hot) a loss of +3or 4% is not likely. Most quit before the effects fully set in. Regardless, prevention is safest.
Suggestion: Listen to your body.
Whether it is at the gym, the trails, or along a bike trail...exercise smart!
Much hope.
