Water and Salt on Skyline

[Ellen]

Howdy All

No matter how much I train in the heat, I never develop good heat tolerance. This was true even when I was young, had only 12% body fat, and competed in marathons, triathlons and bicycle road races. Must be the Swedish genes. I suffer when the starting temperature in the desert gets 70 or higher.

With my fused back, I try to limit my fluid on Skyline to 3 liters/quarts. On warmer days, I'll hyperhydrate by pounding down a liter of water right before I leave the museum. That gives me four liters. Stashing water is also great provided some jerk doesn't steal it -- this happened to my friend Gunny Walt back in 2007.

Other than dehydration (losing over 2% of body weight from sweating), the primary cause of muscle cramps is loss of sodium.

I am a salty sweater -- my clothing is covered with white patches after a hot hike. I use a higher sodium sports drink (Gatorade Endurance) but there are other options -- Salt Stick, carrying fast food salt packets (1/4 teaspoon of table salt), carrying table salt (one teasponn provides 2000 mg of sodium), NUUN or using some other electrolyte replacement product that has ample sodium. Be aware that many electrolyte replacement products (e.g. Endurolytes) don't provide enough sodium.

Many of my hiking buddies limit their salt intake due to having a predisposition towards high blood pressure or another medical issue where restricting salt helps. Unfortunately, these same friends are more likely to cramp on hikes. Most sslt that one consumes during a hike will be excreted in sweat and thus not increase blood pressure.

The average amount of sodium lost in two pounds of sweat is ~800 mg, almost one gram or 1/2 teaspoon of table salt. Salty sweaters like me can lose even more sodium, regardless of fitness or heat acclimation. If someone loses 1 pound of sweat per hour on Skyline and takes 6 hours, they can realistically lose 3 grams of sodium or 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of table salt.

Other than dehydration (losing over 2% of body weight from sweating), the primary cause of muscle cramps is loss of sodium.

Miles of smiles,
Ellen

[Kevin]

Excellent info, Ellen. Thanks.

[Lermo]

Thanks for the info Ellen! I'm a salty dog too. I'll have to carry some of those fast food salt packets in addition to my Endurolyte caps from now on.

[drndr]

Good info Ellen. Had a question.

2 separate times doing skyline and knowing its going to be a bit hotter I have strengthened my liter of gatorade with an extra scoop of gatorade powder and a pinch of salt. I sip this throughout my hike with my camelbak of water and save most of it for the hard section above flatrock.

The question is... have you ever heard of getting white blotchy skin in the finger tips due maybe to too much salt? I've had this happen only twice and both times after I've made my home concoction.

D

[KathyW]

I guess it's better to be miserable in the heat and not have cramps than to be miserable in the heat and have cramps. At the same time, I made sure I was drinking electrolyte filled liquids on Saturday on the Skyline Trail and my feet still started to cramp as I got close to Long Valley. I think my problem was that I didn't hydrate enough before the hike.

[soulcamp]

I use pretzels for my salt supply. Couple handfuls of mini-twists with a liter of water before I head out.

[Ellen]

Howdy Kathy

On warm to hot Skylines, I've even experienced abdominal and bicep cramps. Bizarre.

Proper hydration, salt, and fitness can only do so much -- I think some of us just don't handle heat well. I know you're very fit -- watched you disappear above me on the Baldy Bowl

Howdy Drndr

Would love to know what your initials stand for.

White blotchy skin on the fingertips -- don't know if that's due to salt or due the heat causing body fluid shifts that affect the extremities.

I used to get swollen hands hiking in hot weather. Using poles and a higher sodium sports drink helped.

Miles of smiles,
Ellen
Sports dietitian and exercise physiologist (in addition to polar bear)