The risk of hyponatremia - fitness instructor dies after running London Marathon
Very sad story from Sunday’s London Marathon as temparatures reached a record high and a fitness instructor from Milton Keynes died from hyponatraemia (or water intoxication). This is when there is so much water in the body that it dilutes vital minerals such as sodium down to dangerous levels. It can lead to confusion, headaches and a fatal swelling of the brain.
David Rogers, 22, collapsed at the end of the race and died yesterday in Charing Cross Hospital. He’d completed the 26.2 mile course in 3hr 30mins.
You’d think that drinking as much water as you can in extreme temperatures would be a good thing, right? How many times have you been told to “drink as much water as possible” when it’s hot and humid? How many coaches/training plans have told you “make sure you stay hydrated”? Well fairly recent studies have shown that too much water can be fatal.
Here are a few things you can do to help prevent water intoxication (source: RunnersWorld.com)
- Don’t drink obsessively in the several days before a marathon. Drink when you’re thirsty; that will get the job done.
- Don’t take NSAIDs such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen sodium before, during, or immediately after your race.
- Weigh yourself before the marathon, and write your weight on the back of your race number. If you need help at the finish line, the marathon medical staff will find this prerace weight very helpful when they attend to you.
- During the marathon, drink when you’re thirsty, understanding that water, sugars, and electrolytes will help you feel and perform your best. But don’t force yourself to drink.
- Be particularly careful if you expect to run over four hours, and if you have an unusually small or large body size. Drink less if you begin to get a queasy, sloshy feeling in your stomach.
- Drink sports drinks rather than water. But don’t expect sports drinks to prevent hyponatremia. They won’t.
- Don’t chug fluids immediately after the marathon. This is a time, according to a 2003 London Marathon report, when the risk of hyponatremia can be quite high, as stomach fluids are absorbed into the bloodstream. Nibble on solid foods and sip a variety of drinks slowly until you feel well recovered.
Deepest sympathies are extended to the family of David Rogers.
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