Sweating / Overheating

stu-bim
stu-bim Posts: 384
I sweat a lot when riding, an awful lot, even for a pasty Irishman living in Barbados.

Last week I drank a total of 2.8 litres (two 750ml bottles, 500ml sprite, large gatorade and a can red bull) and still weighed 2.2 kg lighter when returning from 50 mile ride, 3h23m.

I know I set out too late, at 7:30am it is already 28C and sun is hot, but I was properly goosed when finished.

Any advice on trying to reduce sweating?
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Comments

  • diy
    diy Posts: 6,473
    Sweating is a good thing generally, you are often predisposed to it based on your genetic ability to deal with heat. To reduce it, you could try riding faster to get more air flow. But ultimately this is your body saying the core temp needs to come down and if you prevent it from doing that, eventually you will collapse and maybe even die.

    Drink Lots, dump the rubbish energy drinks and go for something that gives you proper hydration.
  • stu-bim
    stu-bim Posts: 384
    Sweating is a good thing generally, you are often predisposed to it based on your genetic ability to deal with heat. To reduce it, you could try riding faster to get more air flow. But ultimately this is your body saying the core temp needs to come down and if you prevent it from doing that, eventually you will collapse and maybe even die.

    Drink Lots, dump the rubbish energy drinks and go for something that gives you proper hydration.

    Thanks,

    I guess the correct question then is how to reduce overheating?
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  • (two 750ml bottles, 500ml sprite, large gatorade and a can red bull) and still weighed 2.2 kg lighter when returning from 50 mile ride, 3h23m.

    Ditch the gatorade and definitely no red bull! Get some of those tablets you put in your bottles with the proper salts etc you need. Take some spare tablets then you can refill your bottles with water as you go.
    I know I set out too late, at 7:30am it is already 28C and sun is hot, but I was properly goosed when finished.

    That's your main problem, it's just bloody hot!
  • stu-bim
    stu-bim Posts: 384
    (two 750ml bottles, 500ml sprite, large gatorade and a can red bull) and still weighed 2.2 kg lighter when returning from 50 mile ride, 3h23m.

    Ditch the gatorade and definitely no red bull! Get some of those tablets you put in your bottles with the proper salts etc you need. Take some spare tablets then you can refill your bottles with water as you go.
    I know I set out too late, at 7:30am it is already 28C and sun is hot, but I was properly goosed when finished.

    That's your main problem, it's just bloody hot!

    Don't usually use gatorade but was 25 miles from home with no fluid, warnings of cramp and thought it would help.

    Usually take one bottle with nuun and one bottle with water (both 750ml), hadn't thought of bringing extra tabs to add to water obtained on the road - simple answers are the best.
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  • stu-bim
    stu-bim Posts: 384
    I know I set out too late, at 7:30am it is already 28C and sun is hot, but I was properly goosed when finished.

    That's your main problem, it's just bloody hot![/quote]

    I usually head out around 4ish in the dark and do some laps near home where the roads are OK (relatively as most are crap) and there is street lights

    Even at that time though it'll be 25C plus and humidity around 80%
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  • diy
    diy Posts: 6,473
    Decent Sun block might also help reflect some of the UV that will be heating your skin up. Btw not a huge amount of empathy available from this side of the planet given that its absolutely tipping down and about 15 degrees out ;)
  • tangled_metal
    tangled_metal Posts: 4,021
    Red Bull? Sorry but that is not a good drink surely for hot climes if you sweat a lot. DIY said it better.

    You need a hypotoni or isotonic drink in that the concentration of sugars, salts, etc in the drink is either less than or the same as that in you body's cells in an ideal state. The idea is hypotonic gets into your body faster but may wash your salts out if it is too dilute. The isotonic matches your body;'s coincentration but is slower to get in that hypotonic. Hypertonic drinks (red bull is undoubtedly one of these) has too much salts and sugars so takes longer to get into your body. If you are overheating and sweating as a result (aided no doubt by your genetic predisposition to colder climes) then a hypertonic drink can result in not enough fluids getting into your system fast enough.

    On the other hand, if you are sweating a lot then a dilute mixture can end up washing the salts out of your cells causing serious problems. I know of a guy who got into serious problems when a 12 hour walk in hot conditions (for the UK) with only a small quantity of water all day. he was close to an ambulance job and if his B&B had not been runners with stashes of rehydration mixtures to hand he would have been spending a night in hospital.

    Another case I heard of was an ultra runner who was drinking water on the train after an event he had run in. After he collapsed and got rushed to hospital it was found that he had been drinking a lot of fluids as he should have after such a race but only water. Turns out his body was sending thirst signals to which he drank more water only to further wash out and becoming thirstier. It was salts that the body needed not just water in that case. IIRC he died of a heart attack despite being a really healthy and sporty individual.

    You can buy special spoons which you use to add the right amounts of salt and sugar to water (IIRC a differently sized spoon at each end). You add the level spoonfulls of salt and sugar to a litre of water to get a perfect isotonic mix.

    I am not saying this is the issue but it can only help. I would stop the red bull drinks (evil stuff if you ask me) and also gatorade since this is over priced rubbish. The advice i got once was 50% orange juice and 50% water, add in a small pinch of salt and that is as close to isotonic as you need. Also cheaper than branded drinks that really do not add much more.

    BTW as said before sweating is essential for your body to remain at a healthy core temperature. If you are sweating too much and drinking too much then perhaps you are simply doing too much. Perhaps try shorter rides outside the main hot times. One ride early morning and another late evening if you have the time to do so.
  • diy
    diy Posts: 6,473
    IMO you don't need a huge amount of caffeine for a 3 1/2 hour ride. A hit at the start to get you going and a gel for after 2 hrs is probably fine. It is after all a diuretic and will increase the extraction of liquid and essential salts from your body.
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    I'm thinking a turbo trainer in an air-conditioned room might be a more comfortable option if you're determined to cycle. I suspect there's a reason the locals sit in the shade all day drinking...
  • diy
    diy Posts: 6,473
    A bit of base work, might improve output vs input too. i.e. if you can go faster for less effort.

    Or long periods in a suana to condition yourself to it.*

    * ive no idea if that is a stupid suggestion. btw
  • stu-bim
    stu-bim Posts: 384
    I'm thinking a turbo trainer in an air-conditioned room might be a more comfortable option if you're determined to cycle. I suspect there's a reason the locals sit in the shade all day drinking...

    Never cools down here so I'd be in there 12 months a year
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  • stu-bim
    stu-bim Posts: 384
    A bit of base work, might improve output vs input too. i.e. if you can go faster for less effort.

    Or long periods in a suana to condition yourself to it.*

    * ive no idea if that is a stupid suggestion. btw

    Living her years so and the only thing I am used to is sweating
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  • slowmart
    slowmart Posts: 4,474
    I've just had two weeks cycling in temperatures ranging from 28-34 degrees and towards the 2nd week the sweating was less and i felt more acclimatised. Sweat is just the bodies way of regulating its core temperatures and other than staying hydrated there's not a lot you can do.

    That said I was still sweating like a scouser in a spelling test.
    “Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime. Teach a man to cycle and he will realize fishing is stupid and boring”

    Desmond Tutu
  • damocles10
    damocles10 Posts: 340
    I sweat a lot after a ride, not so noticeable during unless it is really hot. Just make sure you drink plenty of water and eat well that should maintain your body levels. On hot rides I can go through 4 or 5 750ml bottles of water for a 3 hour ride ( lucky enough to have a free safe drinking fountain close by ) and always try to stay hydrated off the bike.

    I suspect it's just too hot though like others have said. Do you feel it's worth having a check up with your GP? they might offer advice on the best minerals/supplements and do a blood test to make sure all is OK.
  • stu-bim
    stu-bim Posts: 384
    I suspect it's just too hot though like others have said. Do you feel it's worth having a check up with your GP? they might offer advice on the best minerals/supplements and do a blood test to make sure all is OK.

    I don't think it is a medical condition but rather a mental condition, in that I am stupid to be riding around 11:00am in the morning
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  • diy
    diy Posts: 6,473
    I did a little experiment on this last night. It was a fasting day, so I'd only eaten 30g (~100kcal) of porridge before. I went to the gym and did 15 mins wattbike Zone 3, 45 mins spin class Zone 4 & 5 and 45 mins high rep, low weight workout (body pump) approx, half as sweaty as the spin class. So 1:45 mins of exercise.

    I was 72kg before and 71kg after and I drank around 1,250ml of water with a zero cal high 5 tab. The temp in the gym was 20.5 degrees according to my garmin.

    So my conclusion is given the climate the OP's loss is not excessive based on a survey of 1 :D
  • damocles10
    damocles10 Posts: 340
    I suspect it's just too hot though like others have said. Do you feel it's worth having a check up with your GP? they might offer advice on the best minerals/supplements and do a blood test to make sure all is OK.

    I don't think it is a medical condition but rather a mental condition, in that I am stupid to be riding around 11:00am in the morning

    OK Mate.....just thought I'd put it out there. Best wishes