[pct-l] in the sun / Electrolyte Imbalance

[Jim Keener]

Ceanothus wrote:

"Now we're at the opposite end of the spectrum, where
some people drink so much water that they dilute their
electrolytes . . . "

And in my experience, that is true. But for me, it is
not excessive water that is the problem, but a low
electrolyte level. And it is very complicated. 

This is from:
http://www.nephrologychannel.com/electrolytes/

"Electrolytes are salts that conduct electricity and
are found in the body fluid, tissue, and blood.
Examples are chloride, calcium, magnesium, sodium, and
potassium."

If I drink a lot of water in a short time and do not
replace electrolytes, I experience muscle cramps -
sometimes severe, and rigidity. But there is a caveat:
replacing salts too quickly can cause brain cell
shrinkage. Hmm. I wonder if that's happened to me. ;=)

There is a lot of information online, but I have not
found any specifically for backpackers. My aunt is a
nephrologist, a kidney doctor, and her specialty
specifically covers this issue. She is hesitant to
prescribe a regimen for hikers. Her work is clinical
and laboratory-based, where measurements can be
precise. So, with a bit of information and some
experience, I have a regimen of my own. I will not
describe it in detail here, because I think my
situation is on the extreme edge of electrolyte
deficienty, based on my trail experience. I will say,
though, that I add salt to my drinking water and carry
other electrolytes.

Best,
J J

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com