Top Ramen

[DrMattOglesby]

is eating top ramen noodles "good" for a workout?
I want to justify my diet.
i say its okay because it has lots of carbs and high sodium.
the high carbs will keep me energized for long endurance exercises and the high sodium will help to maintain membrane potentials and keep me from cramping.
-matt

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[JaggerPlate]

is eating top ramen noodles "good" for a workout?
I want to justify my diet.
i say its okay because it has lots of carbs and high sodium.
the high carbs will keep me energized for long endurance exercises and the high sodium will help to maintain membrane potentials and keep me from cramping.
-matt

I used to eat top ramen everyday after elementary school when I was a kid. One day I ate it and threw up ... never touched it again. Just a little factoid for you all.

 

[jp104]

is eating top ramen noodles "good" for a workout?
I want to justify my diet.
i say its okay because it has lots of carbs and high sodium.
the high carbs will keep me energized for long endurance exercises and the high sodium will help to maintain membrane potentials and keep me from cramping.
-matt

Top Ramen is what they serve prisoners in chinese gulags. Go Ichiban or go home

Or alternatively go with the ramen of the gods (korean style):

 

[slim78]

I used to do this for extra calories. I'd just eat the dry brick of noodles without even bothering to boil it and make the soup.

I say go for it. They are cheap.

 

[spazzz]

is anyone a fan of real japanese ramen? I honestly considered moving back to japan for a year to learn to make it and open a place in philly

 

[DredPiratRobrts]

They're crap, that's why they're cheap. They're made with lard: 3.5 grams of sat fat per brick.

When I was in Ironman training I just made sure to get plently of protein and complex carbs after workouts. Whole wheat pasta is a great way to do it, with some meat source, you get the picture.

Sodium is great for obvious long distance training reasons.

If you want to justify eating ramen, whatever no big deal if you're in training. You're kicking so much *** training it doesnt matter if you eat some ****ty food. The ability to have dietary indescretions and still look great is one of the reasons why we do triathlons right? Just make sure ramen isn't one of your dietary staples. Don't make ramen your only "non-training" carb source.

 

[DrMattOglesby]

well...spaghetti and most other types of starch pastas are cheap too.
does that mean there is something hidden in them that i should be watching out for?
and thank you, i wanted to hear other reasons why instant noodles such as Top Ramen might be bad for me. Cause right now, im currently persuaded to eat them.

 

[DredPiratRobrts]

Dude, the amount of sat fat in 1 pack is a hefty amount for a crappy brick of noodles. I dont know about you but I can pack away like 5 bricks if I were hungry. That's 17.5 grams of sat fat and 30 grams of total fat....for what? For something with NO Protein..

Ronzoni Healthy harvest whole wheat pasta has very little fat and is a good complex carb and is awesome when paired with a good protein source, ie grill a chicken breast. It's also on sale all the time at supermarkets around here for like $0.99 a box. Another great item is Barilla Plus, also $0.99 a box on sale, has added protein and omega-3.

 

[TexasTriathlete]

I'm going to start carrying top ramen in my jersey instead of gels.

 

[RySerr21]

is eating top ramen noodles "good" for a workout?
I want to justify my diet.
i say its okay because it has lots of carbs and high sodium.
the high carbs will keep me energized for long endurance exercises and the high sodium will help to maintain membrane potentials and keep me from cramping.
-matt

has there even been an actual study done that shows that sodium is useful/necessary for optimal athletic performance??

what about a study showing the impact of sodium on cramping during atheltic performance???

i'm not going to try and say ive read every study ever published, but many things i have read state the fact that there have never been studies dealing precisely with these questions. if something has recently been published that shows the positive effect of sodium on athletic performance, please send to me.

have you ever seen gatorade site a study that shows that the electrolytes (which really is just high amounts of sodium) they put in their drinks actually benefit athletic performance? no, the only thing they advertise is sponsorship by NFL, NBA, etc. etc. they way gatorade determined what they wanted to put in their drinks was by measuring the sweat of the athletes. they found that the primary electorlyte in sweat was sodium, so they concluded (based on no scientific evidence) that they should make a drink that was high in sodium.... why would the body be getting rid of something so readily if it was vital for performance??? i'd say our bodies are pretty damn good at filtering out things that are unnecessary or that we have in excess, and keeping things that are necessary for bodily functions.....hey maybe thats why they found trace amounts of potassium, magnesium, and other electrolytes when they determiend the composition of the sweat!!

you could likely get the same performance enhancement with a drink or food high in carbs but low in sodium. or it might turn out that the sodium does enhance athletic performance...my main point is that there havent been any studies that show it... and if there have been, please show me and i will be more than happy to admit that sodium does play a crucial role in enhancing athletic performance, preventing cramps, etc.

whats the sodium content of a top ramen package? i wouldnt be surprised if it was close to 1000 mg.

 

[TexasTriathlete]

That is ridiculous. I will address this later when I have more time.

 

[RySerr21]

That is ridiculous. I will address this later when I have more time.

oh no.... TT, before you tear me apart, keep in mind that I am very open minded to this discussion and am not looking for a fight. you are pretty good about speaking your mind w/o offending or pissing off people, but i'd thought id say this anyway. we can have a civil discussion w/o bashing each other or calling names.......i am more than open for debate/criticism/discussion and am looking foprward to what you have to say 👍 anything that gets the discussions away from "received a C freshman year, am i doomed" and i am happy! this is all just to spice up the life of the DO forum 🙂

 

[TexasTriathlete]

The secret word for today is "osmolarity". Now, we all know what to do when someone says the secret word? That's right... SCREAM REAL LOUD!!!

First, a few factoids:

- During a race, if I don't take extra salt before I start, I will have to piss before I jump on the bike. I don't notice this when I'm in the water, and I'm not one of these superhuman mutants who can piss his pants on the bike or run and just keep going, so what ends up happening is I will have a full bladder the whole time I'm on the bike and be ridiculously uncomfortable the whole time, and I will have to wait until I pass a port-a-potty, or I will just duck into the woods on the run course and relieve myself.

- Think about the contents of IV fluid. NS is 0.9% NaCL. LR (isotonic to blood) contains 600mg/100ml of sodium. Why is this?

- When you are doing some kind of athletic activity, whether it be football, futbol, baseball, or some hard-core endurance activity, you are going to have massive vaso-dilation. You are opening up capillary beds throughout your periphery for cooling, and to deliver nutrients, oxygen, etc. to the tissues, and to clear waste products. You need enough fluid to fill all that extra space you've created.

Think of it this way... you're making kool-aid for a party. Your only pitcher will hold one liter of kool-aid, so that is how much you make. But suddenly, it is brought to your attention that you absolutely have to have two liters of kool-aid. Someone brings you a two-liter pitcher. Do you just pour your one liter in, and fill the rest of the empty space with water? No. You have to put in the kool-aid mix, the booze, and the sugar too, or it will be disgusting.

- One adaptation that athletes make to training in the heat: retain salt better. Why is this useful?

Let's look at some of the many uses that sodium has in the body:

- Blood glucose retention via cotransport
- Action Potentials
- Removal of urea from the blood (no link, but it happens)

Simply put, sodium is one of the most important ions in your body. It is important to replace anything you lose through sweat and urination, and you will do both during a freaking 5+ hour training ride.

Some athletes, like myself, will have salt caked on them after a long workout in the heat. You might just be losing excess salt that you don't need, but chances are, you're not. This has to be steadily replaced, or you will start to get hyponatremia. At this point, you can get water toxicity, and you will fatigue and feel like ****, and you will perform poorly.

Most good electrolyte supplements will contain sodium, magnesium, potassium, and calcium salts. They are all important, but sodium will be the most prevalent, because it is found in the highest concentration in ECF. It is important for your ECF to maintain proper osmolarity.


AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

 

[scpod]

There is one other thing to keep in mind, though. Physiologically, sweat glands do not always release a constant amount of sodium. The amount of sodium reabsorption changes as the amount of sweat changes. Also, sweat glands are adaptive over time.

 

[JoeNamaMD]

Ramen, ahh med student food. I think steel cut oatmeal is the best, but it takes too damn long to cook it.

 

[spazzz]

The secret word for today is "osmolarity". Now, we all know what to do when someone says the secret word? That's right... SCREAM REAL LOUD!!!

First, a few factoids:

- During a race, if I don't take extra salt before I start, I will have to piss before I jump on the bike. I don't notice this when I'm in the water, and I'm not one of these superhuman mutants who can piss his pants on the bike or run and just keep going, so what ends up happening is I will have a full bladder the whole time I'm on the bike and be ridiculously uncomfortable the whole time, and I will have to wait until I pass a port-a-potty, or I will just duck into the woods on the run course and relieve myself.

- Think about the contents of IV fluid. NS is 0.9% NaCL. LR (isotonic to blood) contains 600mg/100ml of sodium. Why is this?

- When you are doing some kind of athletic activity, whether it be football, futbol, baseball, or some hard-core endurance activity, you are going to have massive vaso-dilation. You are opening up capillary beds throughout your periphery for cooling, and to deliver nutrients, oxygen, etc. to the tissues, and to clear waste products. You need enough fluid to fill all that extra space you've created.

Think of it this way... you're making kool-aid for a party. Your only pitcher will hold one liter of kool-aid, so that is how much you make. But suddenly, it is brought to your attention that you absolutely have to have two liters of kool-aid. Someone brings you a two-liter pitcher. Do you just pour your one liter in, and fill the rest of the empty space with water? No. You have to put in the kool-aid mix, the booze, and the sugar too, or it will be disgusting.

- One adaptation that athletes make to training in the heat: retain salt better. Why is this useful?

Let's look at some of the many uses that sodium has in the body:

- Blood glucose retention via cotransport
- Action Potentials
- Removal of urea from the blood (no link, but it happens)

Simply put, sodium is one of the most important ions in your body. It is important to replace anything you lose through sweat and urination, and you will do both during a freaking 5+ hour training ride.

Some athletes, like myself, will have salt caked on them after a long workout in the heat. You might just be losing excess salt that you don't need, but chances are, you're not. This has to be steadily replaced, or you will start to get hyponatremia. At this point, you can get water toxicity, and you will fatigue and feel like ****, and you will perform poorly.

Most good electrolyte supplements will contain sodium, magnesium, potassium, and calcium salts. They are all important, but sodium will be the most prevalent, because it is found in the highest concentration in ECF. It is important for your ECF to maintain proper osmolarity.


AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

so is all this before or after you **** your pants

 

[endocardium]

is eating top ramen noodles "good" for a workout?
I want to justify my diet.
i say its okay because it has lots of carbs and high sodium.
the high carbs will keep me energized for long endurance exercises and the high sodium will help to maintain membrane potentials and keep me from cramping.
-matt

Ramen has a good amount of fat: 14 grams per package, 7 grams of which are saturated. Also, it isn't particularly loaded with nutrients. It's the "Big Mac" version of a noodle dish. There's definitely better sources of carbohydrates and I think you'd probably be better off making your own pasta anyway.

 

[sherruns]

Ramen has a good amount of fat: 14 grams per package, 7 grams of which are saturated. Also, it isn't particularly loaded with nutrients. It's the "Big Mac" version of a noodle dish. There's definitely better sources of carbohydrates and I think you'd probably be better off making your own pasta anyway.

Wait stop the stagecoach:

Isn't Top Ramen a petrochemical byproduct? I think it's a distillate or some sort of lignite precursor. I saw a gigantic factory for Top Ramen last time I went through Midland/Odessa, Texas. It's similar to powdered nacho cheese or that orange packet in Kraft Macaroni & Cheese. Huge trucks of the stuff getting shipped out to China. It's considered a "non-food, non-perishable item" at Big Lots.

Wait, maybe it's Soylent Green.

Back slowly away from the Top Ramen!

 

[sherruns]

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c25tTzGJmcs[/YOUTUBE]

remember, this is not supposed to be funny!

 

[JoeC]

Props to TT on mentioning the glucose-sodium cotransport in the intestines.

But Ramen is pretty cleary just empty calories. It has little-to-no redeeming qualities, aside from its price. At least it's not loaded with sugar, I guess.

 

[sherruns]

Eating raw Top Ramen will cause maggots to grow in
your stomach, or the raw noodles are so sharp they will cut the inside of
your stomach up and cause you to die, which is why you always must cook
the Top Ramen.

One bag of Top Ramen laid out by nerds in parking lot -- a really long lunch!

 

[sherruns]

 

[DredPiratRobrts]

has there even been an actual study done that shows that sodium is useful/necessary for optimal athletic performance??

Absurd. Absolutely necessary for any activities that make you sweat a lot.

Do a marathon. In 80 degree weather. With 75% humidity. Drink only water...or just water and carbs. You won't make it more than halfway without serious problems.

There's a reason why long distance athletes take electrolyte pills during races. Hammer Nutrition Endurolytes are a personal favorite. When I was a novice triathlete and did it "old school" I would pour extra salt into my sugary drinks during long bike rides.

One of my favorite things to do was to stop at a 7-11 during a typical 100 mile summer training ride and get a large slurpee and pour salt packets into it. Sweet, salty electrolyte goodness. Got that idea from Ultramarathon Man by Dean Karnazes.

 

[sherruns]

Absurd. Absolutely necessary for any activities that make you sweat a lot.

Do a marathon. In 80 degree weather. With 75% humidity. Drink only water...or just water and carbs. You won't make it more than halfway without serious problems.

There's a reason why long distance athletes take electrolyte pills during races. Hammer Nutrition Endurolytes are a personal favorite. When I was a novice triathlete and did it "old school" I would pour extra salt into my sugary drinks during long bike rides.

One of my favorite things to do was to stop at a 7-11 during a typical 100 mile summer training ride and get a large slurpee and pour salt packets into it. Sweet, salty electrolyte goodness. Got that idea from Ultramarathon Man by Dean Karnazes.

I'll stick with my 4X sodium 3X caffeine green apple PowerGels with added salt!

 

[DredPiratRobrts]

I'll stick with my 4X sodium 3X caffeine green apple PowerGels with added salt!

I L-O-V-E caffeinated powergels!

 

[sherruns]

I L-O-V-E caffeinated powergels!

The Aztecas Internacional Elite Running Group in Dallas uses free sugar packets and free salt from 7-11 only, but I gotta have my caffeine. They'd slam 2 sugar packets and 2 salt packets every 10 miles.

 

[DredPiratRobrts]

The Aztecas Internacional Elite Running Group in Dallas uses free sugar packets and free salt from 7-11 only, but I gotta have my caffeine. They'd slam 2 sugar packets and 2 salt packets every 10 miles.

Same. I am completely guilty of exploiting the ergogenic effects of caffeine. I used to buy cases of the strawberry banana powergels but when they came out with the green apple I switched.

Now its time to get a large coffee and head to the gym!

 

[sherruns]

Same. I am completely guilty of exploiting the ergogenic effects of caffeine. I used to buy cases of the strawberry banana powergels but when they came out with the green apple I switched.

Now its time to get a large coffee and head to the gym!

3X caffeinated Top Ramen! Now that's an idea!

 

[slim78]

3X caffeinated Top Ramen! Now that's an idea!

I'd eat it.
I usually get my pre-gym caffeine fix from this though:

 

[sherruns]

I'd eat it.
I usually get my pre-gym caffeine fix from this though:

I've heard of that but the creatinine gives me gas, bloating and anal leakage so it's a no go.
they should rename it X-PLODE

 

[slim78]

I've heard of that but the creatinine gives me gas, bloating and anal leakage so it's a no go.

I have the same kind of relationship with lactose.

 

[sherruns]

I have the same kind of relationship with lactose.

😱

back to topic:
Ramen and roaches are the only things that will be around after a nuclear holocaust.
Long, long after the thin, colorful plastic cover has disintegrated, the ramen will remain.
Standard dystopic ramen projections point to an acute period of cockroach consumption of raw, unseasoned ramen, as the roaches will not have developed prehensile capabilities or mental acuity sufficient to the understanding of, and the performance of, the cooking of the ramen. The cockroaches will then bloat and explode, thus ending life on earth.

 

[DredPiratRobrts]

I'd eat it.
I usually get my pre-gym caffeine fix from this though:

HA!

I use NOXplode in Grape before lifting!

I follow up my workout with:

and then...

I love the BSN products....very high quality. I've put on 35lbs in the past 18 months and have tripled the amount of weight I can lift using most muscle groups.

 

[slim78]

I follow up the workout w/ a serving of this:

Made w/ whole milk so it is 900 Cals

 

[TexasTriathlete]

NO-Xplode sounds like a male sexual dysfunction product. No thanks.

Also, these NO products are the biggest scam in the supplement industry today. The two best products on the market are Endurox and Accelerade. I also like AccelGel.

 

[slim78]

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N40mpF3IcIA[/YOUTUBE]

 

[TexasTriathlete]

I've got to admit I'm a little disappointed that nobody got my pee wee's playhouse reference.

 

[DredPiratRobrts]

I've got to admit I'm a little disappointed that nobody got my pee wee's playhouse reference.

Oh I got it. When I read your post I was imagining chairy and floory screaming along with Pee Wee.

 

[sherruns]

I've got to admit I'm a little disappointed that nobody got my pee wee's playhouse reference.

just got it. consider me lame!

 

[EEL08]

I've got to admit I'm a little disappointed that nobody got my pee wee's playhouse reference.

I did!! 😀

 

[DocInProgress]

HA!

I use NOXplode in Grape before lifting!

I follow up my workout with:

and then...

I love the BSN products....very high quality. I've put on 35lbs in the past 18 months and have tripled the amount of weight I can lift using most muscle groups.

BSN is being sued for having traces of coumarin in several of their product line. In addition, they are also being sued for having no CEE in Cell-Mass (it has been found to have some creatine monohydrate though). No offense to you but it seems like you bought into their ad hype. 😀

 

[EEL08]

I love the BSN products....very high quality. I've put on 35lbs in the past 18 months and have tripled the amount of weight I can lift using most muscle groups.

I wish gaining 35 pounds was a good thing in my world. 😎

 

[DredPiratRobrts]

BSN is being sued for having traces of camourin in several of their product line. In addition, they are also being sued for having no CEE in Cell-Mass (it has been found to have some creatine monohydrate though). No offense to you but it seems like you bought into their ad hype. 😀

None taken. They have great marketing. Thanks for pointing this out, I'll look into it. I have 2 unopened containers of NOXplode and Cell Mass, GNC has a return policy, I may use it.

 

[DocInProgress]

None taken. They have great marketing. Thanks for pointing this out, I'll look into it. I have 2 unopened containers of NOXplode and Cell Mass, GNC has a return policy, I may use it.

Here's the reference: http://www.tga.gov.au/recalls/2007/vpx.htm
and
supplementpolice.com/Complaint.pdf <- scroll down to #4-6.

 

[RySerr21]

Absurd. Absolutely necessary for any activities that make you sweat a lot.

Do a marathon. In 80 degree weather. With 75% humidity. Drink only water...or just water and carbs. You won't make it more than halfway without serious problems.

There's a reason why long distance athletes take electrolyte pills during races. Hammer Nutrition Endurolytes are a personal favorite. When I was a novice triathlete and did it "old school" I would pour extra salt into my sugary drinks during long bike rides.

One of my favorite things to do was to stop at a 7-11 during a typical 100 mile summer training ride and get a large slurpee and pour salt packets into it. Sweet, salty electrolyte goodness. Got that idea from Ultramarathon Man by Dean Karnazes.

i didnt refute the beneficial effects of the carbs in gatorade. they have done numerous studies showing the effect of carb intake on athletic performance. but you still never answered my question, which you quoted by the way... you just gave me anecdotal evidence.

lets assume you are correct, which you very well might be, you are talking about elite marathon runners or triathlon competitors.......maybe for the very small percentage of people on this earth that compete at that level and that intensity for that long, sodium intake is necessary.....but the % of people that do that in the world is incredibly incredibly small. specific to gatorade, there is no reason that their product should have as much sodium as it does. A majority of the people that are drinking gatorade arent doing so to enhance athletic performance. they arent drinking it during athletic events, let alone a marathon, triathlon, 5 hour long sporting event.

 

[DredPiratRobrts]

i didnt refute the beneficial effects of the carbs in gatorade. they have done numerous studies showing the effect of carb intake on athletic performance. but you still never answered my question, which you quoted by the way... you just gave me anecdotal evidence.

lets assume you are correct, which you very well might be, you are talking about elite marathon runners or triathlon competitors.......maybe for the very small percentage of people on this earth that compete at that level and that intensity for that long, sodium intake is necessary.....but the % of people that do that in the world is incredibly incredibly small. specific to gatorade, there is no reason that their product should have as much sodium as it does. A majority of the people that are drinking gatorade arent doing so to enhance athletic performance. they arent drinking it during athletic events, let alone a marathon, triathlon, 5 hour long sporting event.

Okay I know you didnt refute the carbs. I merely included it so that I wouldn't get criticized for saying "just water". There have been so many studies done on the importance of electrolyte intake for athletes who sweat heavily. Gatorade is often cited in this argument b/c so many people who don't really "work out" drink it, and people question whether it is necessary. Is gatorade to blame for their marketing and success? Who cares, congratulations to them.

TT will back me up on this, endurance athletes don't drink gatorade, we drink better products. Hammer HEED, Cytomax, GU2O, etc are all much better choices. Gatorade tried marketing Gatorade Endurance to endurance athletes without much success, essentially it was gatorade with MORE electrolytes. Gasp, how can they put MORE in it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You said:

specific to gatorade, there is no reason that their product should have as much sodium as it does. A majority of the people that are drinking gatorade arent doing so to enhance athletic performance. they arent drinking it during athletic events, let alone a marathon, triathlon, 5 hour long sporting event.

No reason their product should have that much sodium in it? What? Why? B/c people who buy and drink it aren't doing so during an athletic event? That's absurd. Maybe THEY shouldn't be drinking it? Gatorade markets gatorade widely, agreed, but they market it as an "sports drink" and they point out how it aids in electrolyte replacement.

Besides you dont have to be part of the "incredibly INCREDIBLY small" % of the population who do endurance events to need electrolyte replacement. You need to replace electrolytes if you're a mid 40s non-athletic dad doing yard-work for 5 hours in July, sweating your *** off. A cold, dripping 32oz lemon-lime gatorade hits the spot when you're drenched in sweat after mowing the lawn.


Anyway...

15 seconds on PubMed, including time to load the page.

Curr Sports Med Rep. 2007 Jul;6(4):237-40.
The importance of salt in the athlete's diet.
Valentine V.

Sanford Sports Medicine, NORTH Center, Sioux Falls, SD 57104, USA. [email protected]

Salt consists of sodium and chloride, and is important for normal physiologic function. High sweat rates in athletes result in loss of both fluids and sodium. Fluid replacement with hypotonic solutions will lead to incomplete rehydration and possible complications such as hyponatremia, decreased performance, heat cramps, or other heat-related illness. There is significant individual variation in sodium loss during activity. In some the losses can be replaced by normal dietary intake, whereas in others the losses can be dramatic and increased dietary intake is essential. There are various methods to increase sodium intake, such as increased use of table salt on foods, salty snacks, adding salt to sports drinks, and use of salt tablets. Emphasis on replacement of fluids is also important, but care must be taken to avoid overhydration. Simple measures such as recording daily pre- and postexercise body weight can aid in making fluid and sodium ingestion decisions; in some cases, a comprehensive evaluation is necessary.

PMID: 17617999 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

 

[OCHO]

.

 

[sherruns]

You all are freakin hilarious and off the hook. From top ram, to anal leakage, to sexual dysfunction all from a top ramen post. What next? SPANX. Hey I heard that if you wear SpanX and eat top ramen. Nothing really happens but I just wanted to point it out anyway. hahaha

(UH OH, did I just open a can of worms?)

HAHAHAHAA

it's all soylent green, i'm tellin' ya

 

[DredPiratRobrts]

Also, specific to cramping. Lots of people are salty sweaters. I am, TT is, and maybe lots of dads who are in average shape just mowing their lawns in July. "For Heat Cramping the SOLUTION is saline."

Sports Med. 2007;37(4-5):368-70.Links
The role of sodium in 'heat cramping'.
Eichner ER.

Health Sciences Center, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73111-6657, USA. [email protected]

'Heat cramping' is defined here as severe, spreading, sustained, sharply painful muscle contractions that can sideline athletes. Not all cramps are alike, but three lines of evidence suggest heat cramping is caused by 'salty sweating', specifically by the triad of salt loss, fluid loss and muscle fatigue. The first line of evidence is historical. Dating back 100 years, heat cramping in industrial workers was alleviated by saline, and in a self-experiment, salt depletion provoked muscle cramping. The second line of evidence is from field studies of athletes. In tennis and football alike, heat-crampers tend to be salty sweaters. Some evidence also suggests that triathletes who cramp may lose more salt during the race than peers who do not cramp. The third line of evidence is practical experience with therapy and prevention. Intravenous saline can reverse heat cramping, and more salt in the diet and in sports drinks can help prevent heat cramping. For heat cramping, the solution is saline.

PMID: 17465610 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

 

[sherruns]

Also, specific to cramping. Lots of people are salty sweaters. I am, TT is, and maybe lots of dads who are in average shape just mowing their lawns in July. "For Heat Cramping the SOLUTION is saline."

Sports Med. 2007;37(4-5):368-70.Links
The role of sodium in 'heat cramping'.
Eichner ER.

Health Sciences Center, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73111-6657, USA. [email protected]

'Heat cramping' is defined here as severe, spreading, sustained, sharply painful muscle contractions that can sideline athletes. Not all cramps are alike, but three lines of evidence suggest heat cramping is caused by 'salty sweating', specifically by the triad of salt loss, fluid loss and muscle fatigue. The first line of evidence is historical. Dating back 100 years, heat cramping in industrial workers was alleviated by saline, and in a self-experiment, salt depletion provoked muscle cramping. The second line of evidence is from field studies of athletes. In tennis and football alike, heat-crampers tend to be salty sweaters. Some evidence also suggests that triathletes who cramp may lose more salt during the race than peers who do not cramp. The third line of evidence is practical experience with therapy and prevention. Intravenous saline can reverse heat cramping, and more salt in the diet and in sports drinks can help prevent heat cramping. For heat cramping, the solution is saline.

PMID: 17465610 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Don't ever run the Lubbock Marathon. 93 degrees in the shade and no support after mile 19. Except for some crazy guy in a car. Just STEP AWAY FROM THE LUBBOCK MARATHON. The running in the Texas Tech Engineering Quad was also lame. I dehydrated so badly that I had stripes of electrolytes on my black running shorts. It was like a frickin' Western Blot! Ice towels and ice buckets at the end saved me. Lots of us ended up in the ambulance (9, i think). Small, ridiculous, stupidly hot marathon designed to kill people without enough sodium on board. The only thing that got me through was Fatboy Slim.