[pct-l] Hyponatremia

[judson at jeffnet.org (Judson)]

Dude, I must disagree. I have a friend who just ran a 50K. She collapsed
at the finish line and went into convulsions. She almost died and spent
a week in the hospital. According to the doctors, she was suffering from
hyponatremia. As a trail runner, I and several people I know have
suffered from this at even shorter distances. You can get hyponatremic
even after 10 mi. if it's a hot day and you haven't prepared well.

Judson
Southern Oregon Trail Runners
Ashland

-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces@mailman.backcountry.net
[mailto:pct-l-bounces@mailman.backcountry.net] On Behalf Of dude
Sent: Sunday, April 24, 2005 12:12 AM
To: waynekraft@verizon.net
Cc: pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Hyponatremia

Wayne - For the type of events that you talk about (marathons, half-
marathons, 50k's, 20 milers), hyponatremia is not a concern, and your 
statement here would be accurate: "In my experience hypnatremia occurs 
when someone engages in a serious endurance activity and rehydrates 
only with water, avoiding sports drinks and food."

The reason for this is the duration of the event.  The longets of these 
events is the trail 50k, which most people can finish in a maximum of 6 
hours or so.  When you start exercising strenuously for longer than 
that, hyponatremia is ***MUCH*** more likely.  Until my first 50 miler, 
I had run several marathons and 50k's, as well as hiked many 25+ mile 
days on the PCT, without ever having any problems with dehydration or 
electrolytes (hyponatremia).  When I ran my first 50 miler, I 
contracted a touch of hyponatremia at about mile 35.  I had to stop and 
take electrolyte supplements and rest for about 30 minutes before I 
could continue.  

I wanted to make sure to respond to the comment noted above about 
sprots drinks because SPORTS DRINKS ALONE WILL NOT PREVENT 
HYPONATREMIA.  Virtually all sports drinks contain only a TINY fraction 
of the amount of soduim required to replace that which is lost due to 
exercise.  Intraveinous Saline is 0.9% salt by weight, and is 154 
meq/liter of sodium. Normal Blood PLASMA is between 135 and 145 meq 
sodium/liter. Gatorade is 20 meq sodium/liter.  Hence Gatorade won't 
really do jack squat for anyone who is hyponatremic.

The only thing to give to someone who is bloated and hyponatremic is 
something with sodium concentration GREATER than 154 meq/liter.  The 
only thing that I know of that you can eat or drink (as opposed to 
intraveinous injection) that has enough salt to reverse hyponatremia is 
Campbells Chicken Broth, which has about 260 meq/liter of sodium.

Another thing to consider when trying to determine how much sodium 
replacement you need is the temperature.  When its hot and you are 
sweating alot, you'll need alot more electrolytes.  I've hiked so many 
20+ mile days in the Sierras that I couldn't count them all and I've 
never had an issue with electrolytes, but I know several people who got 
a touch of hyponutremia at the 2002 Houston Marathon when it was 80 
degrees out.  The same was true at the 2004 Boston Marathon, as the NYT 
article mentions.  I've never hiked the desert sections of the PCT, but 
my guess is that this is the only section that dehydration of 
hyponuatremia would really be a threat.  IMO (and I am no expert), as 
long as you are in normal health, these issues shouldn't really effect 
a thru-hike.

peace,
dude

_________________________________________________________________
    http://fastmail.ca/ - Fast Secure Web Email for Canadians

_______________________________________________
pct-l mailing list
pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
unsubscribe or change options:
http://mailman.hack.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l