Hydration seen as key to preventing heatstroke

By Laura Terry
Flat Hat Sports Editor

The recent deaths of Minnesota Vikings right tackle Korey Stringer and University of Florida freshman Eraste Autin have brought media attention to the effects of heat on athletes and the body. As a result, coaches and the department of Sports Medicine at the College are teaching athletes the importance of fluid intake.

"Teaching people about rehydration, teaching people about pre-hydration is something we try to do," Steve Cole, director of Sports Medicine, said. "We want people drinking 12 to 16 ounces of water for every waking hour."

To monitor fluid expenditure during practices the College mandates that athletes weigh in before and after practice. These athletes are then required to drink 20 ounces of water for every pound of weight lost during exercise.

"It's not unheard of for a football player to loose 10 to 13 pounds in a one to two hour practice," Cole said.

While some of that weight loss is caloric expenditure, a major portion is fluid lost to sweat.

Athletes are also taught to monitor their own water needs. Information sheets have been posted in locker rooms and presentations have been given by Sports Medicine and coaches.

"Gatorade gave a water bottle for each of the [football] players," Cole said. "Coach [Jimmye] Laycock mandated that when you're away from the stadium, you've got to have that water bottle with you. When you're at a [team] meeting you have to have that with you and full. And when that meeting is over, you'd better have that water bottle empty."

On the practice and playing fields, student athletes must accept responsibility for themselves in watching for early warning signs.

"We emphasize to the players -- if you're lightheaded, that's when you need to speak up," Cole said.

According to Cole there are four levels of heat related illnesses that the athletes may encounter. The mildest case, heat syncope, is characterized by symptoms including light-headedness and dizziness. Next in line is heat cramps, which are muscle cramps that most commonly occur in the major muscle groups of the legs and abdomen. Third is heat exhaustion, marked by pale skin and profuse sweating.

"A person can be having problems with heat exhaustion due to water depletion or electrolyte depletion," Cole said.

Electrolytes are essential ions for normal body function and include calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium and chloride.

Finally, heatstroke is the most serious heat-related illness. According to an article published June 29, 1999 on the British Broadcasting Corp. website, when an individual's body temperature rises above the normal range, the body may suffer damage or fail. As a result, the cause of death in many cases is indirectly heatstroke, but is directly attributed to a system failure such as cardiac arrest.

Stringer died Aug. 1 after suffering heatstroke when his body temperature rose to more than 108 degrees.

Autin's body temperature rose to 108 degrees after he participated in a summer workout with teammates. He then suffered a heart attack, slipped into a coma and passed away July 24, almost a week later.

Heatstroke kills approximately half of patients who suffer from it, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Hot, dry skin, lack of sweat production, high core body temperature, rapid heartbeat, confusion and loss of consciousness are the symptoms of heat stroke.

Treatment for heatstroke, according to Riverside Hospital's Ask-a-Nurse hotline, includes giving the victim fluids, spraying them with cool water and moving him to a shaded area.

At all times, students, but athletes especially, should try to stay hydrated. The best way to monitor yourself is to watch the color of your urine.

"You want it to be clear or a pale yellow," Cole said. "You can't rely on your thirst mechanism, because you'll be about two days behind."

Shade, fans and frequent water breaks, in addition to staying hydrated, are important preventative measures.

The risks of suffering from heatstroke are increased for those who have suffered from such illnesses before.

"Any person that has suffered a heat illness is predisposed to [systemic] failure again," Cole said.

In addition, a number of medical conditions can make someone more susceptible to heat illnesses. These include fever, systemic infections like mononucleosis and diarrhea.

Riverside Hospital's Ask-a-Nurse hotline added that obesity, heart disease and some prescriptions can make one more prone to heat-related illnesses.

While Cole recognizes the tragic nature of deaths such as those of Autin and Stringer, he said that they have brought heightened awareness to these preventative steps. As a result, he said that he had no trouble getting cooling fans and tents for shade at practices, in addition to the usual abundance of water.

"This summer, actually, has been one of the best we've had," Cole said. "We just became more efficient."