older women dehydration issues?

[Biciclista]

um, Oakleaf, what do you mean?

[OakLeaf]

For years it never occurred to me that I needed more salt. I kept trying to drink more plain water and couldn't figure out why I was dehydrated. I'm just dense, I guess.

[Biciclista]

oh oh, of course, electrolytes. But at the hospital, the stuff they pumped into you was saline!

[OakLeaf]

I know, that's why it worked without anyone being the wiser.

[roadie gal]

I'm a big drinker. If I do an hour bike ride I'll go through most of a 2 liter Camelbak. On any run over 30 minutes, I'll carry water. You may not be getting as much as it seems if you just have one water bottle.

Along with some of you, I lose a lot of salt in my sweat. I now order a custom blend from Infinit Nutrition to get the extra salt I need in my drinks without the calories. I discovered them after suffering through major leg cramps when I was training for my tris.

[Biciclista]

Murienn, i always drink a little if i wake up at night; but not too much, I am also suffering from sleep issues so I was advised by my Dr to drink less at night. so i can't see doing that BEFORE a ride, but after, it makes sense.

[nuliajuk]

I find that I absorb water better if I sip it slowly over a period of time, rather than drink a whole glass all at once. If I drink a cupful in one sitting, it just seems to go straight through me.

[malkin]

Dehydration is always an issue for me too.
Of course summer is worse here because it is so dry. In the last days of our old kitty we were giving him subcutaneous saline, and we joked that I might steal some of it for an IV of my own.

[goldfinch]

Are you sure you are dehydrated? It seems you are peeing out excess water. Could it be the headache is from something else, like an electrolyte imbalance. Sometimes people hydrate too much and their electrolytes go out of whack.

[Skippyak]

I think drinking too much is a habit too. I would think you should look at other causes of repeated headaches and a 10 mile ride would not be a cause to need 32 ounces of water and salty food. I ride in Ut and it is hot in summer but I know I drink too much when I need to pee too much (like on a 2 hour ride). Dehydration is a term bandied around very loosely. I do tweak my own electrolytes depending on conditions and ride times, but for a nice rec ride of low mileage, it should not be an issue. I don't race or anything but bigger climbs and really hot days will need different approaches. I would not listen to a doc who tells me not to drink at night either, I can get up and pee and go to sleep. When I am out on my bike with no loo in sight, I am not so keen on peeing.