The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) reiterated its statements on hyponatremia and dehydration for endurance athletes during competitive events with an aim to clarify peculiar issues that are usually concerned with hydration of athletes.

Hyponatremia is a dangerous condition that occurs when an athlete consumes too much of sports drinks or water that lead to dilution or disruption of level of sodium in the body.

It was pointed out during the study by ACSM experts in sports medicine and exercise science that hydration is imperative for all active individuals. It was also noted that water and/or sports drinks, when used as per recommendations, do not lead to Hyponatremia, which is a rare condition and not commonly found in most athletes.

Larry Kenney, Ph.D., FACSM, referring to the Boston Marathon (18th April), said that athletes who participated in this marathon appeared to be properly hydrated and probably understood the message of effective hydration to gain better results.

From News-Medical.Net:

Appropriate fluid intake before, during and after exercise is important to help regulate body temperature and replace body fluids lost through sweating. “Runners should follow a hydration plan based on their sweat losses during training, and slow runners in particular should take care not to drink beyond that level during exercise,” said Kenney. He also advised runners to consume salty snacks before and after the race to replace any sodium lost during exercise. ACSM’s current hydration guidelines state that those exercising for more than one hour may benefit from sports drinks, which replace carbohydrates for energy.

Generally, says Kenney, persons participating in typical athletic or work environments should continue to heed current hydration guidelines. “There are dangers associated with both extremes of behavior—severe under-drinking and severe over-drinking. Not drinking at all is not a safe option for preventing hyponatremia.” The key, he said, is “drinking intelligently, not drinking maximally.”

Dehydration resulting from the failure to replace fluids during exercise can limit the body’s ability to regulate body temperature by sweating and/or skin blood flow, and may contribute to heat exhaustion, heat injury, and exertional heat stroke. To minimize the potential for thermal injury, ACSM experts recommend that athletes attempt to replace fluid losses by consuming fluids at a rate equal to the sweat rate. This can be accomplished by athletes weighing themselves before and after the exercise bout. Recommendations are based on scientific data and observation of athletes suffering from heat injury.

ACSM experts also said that all active individuals and not just athletes participating in endurance competitions must be mindful of the hydration factor during any activity in the heat and humidity.