FITNESS & NUTRITION
pickleball and heat
BY DR. ALAN H. BRAGMAN
Living and exercising in the southeastern U. S. for the last 35 years has made me acutely aware of the effects that heat and humidity can have on athletic performance. Pickleball courts on average are 15-20 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than the air temperature. Dehydration is a chief concern in such conditions. It can harm your health as well as your playing performance.
Simply defined, dehydration occurs when you lose more fluid than you take in. Water makes up about 60 % of body weight and is involved in almost every process essential for life. Even a slight fluid imbalance can cause serious health concerns because water is needed to cool the body and aid in energy production. Water is also the basis for all bodily fluids, including blood and digestive juices. It is involved in the absorption of nutrients and waste elimination.
During pickleball, water is lost through sweating and breathing. Playing in high temperatures and humidity can cause fluid losses of up to 2.5 quarts( 2.4 liters) per hour. High humidity also inhibits perspiration from evaporating rapidly and thus cooling the body.
Even mild dehydration with a 1-2 % loss of body weight can cause weakness, fatigue, nausea, loss of coordination, dizziness and gastric problems. A 5 % loss can result in heat exhaustion, which is characterized by nausea, dizziness and fainting. Severe dehydration, defined as a loss of 9-15 % of body weight, is a lifethreatening medical emergency.
Mild-to-moderate dehydration can usually be treated simply by drinking a sufficient amount. To remain hydrated you must drink before, during and after playing. Relying on thirst as an indicator of your body’ s need for water is a poor method because thirst lags behind actual dehydration. A better method of assessing the level of hydration is to note the color of your urine. If it’ s dark yellow or amber you are most likely dehydrated. If it’ s clear or straw colored you are wellhydrated.
Mild dehydration has these signs and symptoms:
• Excessive thirst
• Sleepiness or tiredness
• Dry mouth
• Decreased urine output
• Muscle weakness and fatigue
• Headache
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
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