Can Drinking Too Much H2O Cause Electrolyte Imbalance

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21 years ago 02/24/2003 8:37am EST

A few weeks ago, my calf cramped up 2 miles into a 10k race. I took some time off and then came back to run easy 3X last week w/ no problem. This weekend I ran a 15k race and about 10k in, I cramped up again, same calf. I drink alot of water throughout the day and I am starting to think that this may be causing an electrolyte balance.

Any opinions? Anyone hear about something like this? If so, let me know what may have worked. I am suppose to run Boston Marathon in April and these injuries are killing my training.

21 years ago 02/24/2003 9:19am EST

re: Dougruns26

No. You'd have to drink gallons upon gallons to do this- it's actually called iatrogenic SIADH- usually your serum sodium is the electrolyte affected. Better look for another cause for calf cramping.

21 years ago 02/24/2003 9:56am EST

re: Super Swede

What about a magnesium deficiency? Can that cause muscle cramping?

21 years ago 02/24/2003 10:55am EST

re: Dougruns26

Simple answer: yes it can (maybe). There are not etched in stone yes and no answers.

If you do a bit of searching on google, you can get lots of links to mineral imbalance (hyponatremia and so forth) some of them are readable.

You might try

http://www.fred.net/ultrunr

Ignore the fact that it is an ultrarunning page. Over on the left and a little ways down there are a bunch of articles, links, etc. about hydration. Try reading through some of them. Common sense rules about mineral replacement apply to all running, not just ultras. If your ignore mineral replacement, you can get into a cumulative effect area.

I am not a medical person of any type, just an ultrarunner who had to learn what and when to drink out there.

21 years ago 02/24/2003 11:23am EST

re: Dougruns26

A few years ago, I had a couple of fainting spells. When my doctor and I mulled over the possible causes, it became apparent that I was drinking WAY too much water. The excess water was preventing my body from adequately absorbing important nutrients. I had been drinking at least four 1.5 liter bottles of water a day. I cut back to two bottles and had way more energy, and no more fainting spells. Granted, water may not have been the culprit, but according to my doctor, too much water CAN deplete your body of valuable nutrients. (But then again, according to my sister, a doctor herself, doctors don't really know anything--it's all a guessing game.)

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