How to hydrate for a triathlon like the Madrid KM0?

During physical exercise, the body generates heat, which it must control so that the temperature does not rise in such a way that vital functions are affected.

 

 

Infisport collaborator Triathlon Madrid KM0, the first long distance triathlon that will end in the Plaza del Sol in the city of Madrid, tells us in this article how to act to prevent dehydration.

The three scientifically proven facts, which contribute most to the development of fatigue during physical exercise and reduced performance, are the decrease in stored carbohydrates in the form of glycogen in the body, the progressive dehydration produced by the loss of water and electrolytes and muscle catabolism.

The human organism is homeothermic, that is, it maintains a constant temperature. During physical exercise, the body generates heat, which it must control so that the temperature does not rise in such a way that vital functions are affected. The human body has several cooling mechanisms, of which the most effective is sweating. In this process, in addition to water, the substances called electrolytes (mineral salts), Sodium, Magnesium, Potassium, Calcium, etc. are lost, which are responsible for maintaining the balance of water in the body. 

Actually, it is the evaporation of water that cools the body. This evaporation is done through the skin and the breath. Not all people evaporate in the same proportion in these two ways, it is even common to see athletes who sweat relatively little. This fact, in many cases, is misleading, since it is interpreted as a lower need for fluid and it is not, because the loss of water and electrolytes also happens to maintain body temperature.

The speed of dehydration is higher than the rehydration rate, so you should start the exercise perfectly well hydrated, and continue to do it constantly, without waiting to feel thirsty, especially in sessions that exceed 60 minutes. It is clear that this approach should also be transferred to training sessions, since it is common for many athletes to only reserve good practice of hydration for competitions, which constitutes a serious error, because if the training is not performed adequate, there is also a deficit that can be very negative in performance, reducing the effectiveness of the training itself and getting fit.

Water alone, does not have hydration capacity without the adequate presence of electrolytes in the body, it is more, in prolonged sports practices, ingesting water alone, accelerates the process of dehydration by dragging sodium and decrease its concentration, which leads to the disorder hydroelectrolytic called hyponatremia.

 

 

The most notable effects of dehydration on performance are:

- Decrease in obtaining aerobic energy by the muscle.

- Decrease in strength and endurance.

- Slowing the transport of lactic acid away from the muscle.

Dehydration, in addition to affecting performance, also has negative effects on health.

 

With the following scale we can relate degrees of dehydration and organic effects:

1% dehydration: you enter the threshold of thirst. It produces constant thirst that is not appeased by a lot of water that is ingested, this entails a greater speed of dehydration and problems in the gastric emptying.

2% dehydration: the loss of thermoregulatory capacity and decrease in performance begins.

3% dehydration: increase in body temperature, cramps, loss of resistance and likelihood of fainting.

6 to 8% dehydration: you can reach organic failure, going through severe contractures and headaches. 

 

Recommendations to prevent dehydration

Drink enough water a day. This in an average athlete, involves ingesting no less than 2 liters per day and although this amount is subject to different variables, such as genetic characteristics, temperature of the environment, time of duration of the exercise, intensity and frequency of effort (training and competitions), serve as a reference that in the hours following the effort, it is necessary to replace at least 150% of the weight lost after exercise with the intake of water.

Check the color of the urine. The urine should be practically transparent and not go from a shade similar to cider. If the color becomes darker, it is one of the signals that indicate that the intake of water and / or electrolytes is insufficient.

Maintain a moderate consumption of salt in meals. Except hypertension pathology or other medical recommendation, it is advisable to use salt in foods moderately, since the sodium ion is the main electrolyte in the rehydration process

Use hydration techniques drinks. For these types of beverages to be useful in the body, they must meet a series of conditions that differentiate them from commercial beverages:

- Are more effective when its formulation contains carbohydrates and mineral saltss, because the ergogenic effects of these nutrients are enhanced when they are supplied together.

- The replacement beverages must be isotonic or even better, slightly hypotonic, since the osmolality (molecular concentration of the prepared liquid) of the replacement drink will determine the gastric emptying rate (time it remains in the stomach, until it passes into the intestine) and its absorption by the organism. When the concentration is not adequate, in addition to gastric disorders that can cause the blockage of digestion, the availability of its nutrients is reduced and consequently the action of its benefits, this being a key factor in all Triathlon modalities, especially in medium and long distance  
- The recommendations of platforms such as FEMEDE and ACSM, among others, indicate that the amount of sodium that these drinks must contain in order to be effective, must be in a range between 460 and 1,150 milligrams per liter of prepared drink

- It is important to note that the temperature at which this type of liquid is ingested should be that which is pleasant, without being excessively cold.

 

 

How to use a hydration technique drink

In winter, although to a lesser extent, there is also loss of water and electrolytes, with the rise in temperature this effect is accentuated, especially from the 25º temperature, where special attention must be paid.

A simple way to identify the mode of use of a hydration drink is for the duration of the exercise.

Exercise not exceeding 60 minutes

Except in very extreme conditions of heat, in 60 minutes there is no loss of water and electrolytes that justify making a replacement during the exercise, therefore, the replacement is advisable to do it at the end, before they spend 30 minutes taking any energy drink.

Exercise greater than 60 minutes

For the rehydration process to be effective, it is necessary to act in a preventive manner, before the dehydration begins, since it will not be possible to compensate that effect in time, especially in the long distance modality. For it, It is advisable to start drinking the technical drink from the first 45 / 60 minutes in small drinks and alternating with water alone.

To optimize the effect of the technical drink, it is important to follow the recommendations of the method of use indicated by the manufacturer. The total water (technical drink + water alone) recommended to avoid problems of gastric emptying and provide an effective amount of water, ranges between 600 and 900ml / hour.

The stretch of bike, is the most suitable to perform the hydration protocol, since it facilitates the transport of the necessary liquid. It is key to undertake the stretch on foot in a good state of hydration, since in the race, transport is more limited and will depend largely on the planning in quantity and quality of the refreshments, available in the test.

It is essential to carry out these protocols during training periods with two objectives: reduce recovery time of them and facilitate the adaptation of the organism to eat and drink during the effort, facing competition, where everything must be tested and trained.

More information http://www.triatlonmadridkm0.com/ 

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Photos: Madrid Km0, nutriresponse.com