Sorry to lump both topics together this way, but RO water is what we have at home, and sports hydration is where I’d like to steer the conversation.
I read a WHO report about RO (reverse osmosis) water systems, and they detailed that these systems remove mineral content from the water, making the water “agressive” in that it readily absorbs CO2 from the air (rendering the water acidic) and metals from pipes and containers. There was also mention of “increased diuresis” from drinking untreated RO water. http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/dwq/nutdemineralized.pdf
My questions are
How should I treat RO water from the machine? Can I re-mineralize RO water, and if so, how?
Using RO water as a starting point, what is the best way to ensure that I’m providing myself with proper hydration and electrolytes when exercising in the Taiwan heat? My cyclist friends in the US use electrolyte powders to avoid dehydration. What is available here, and which ones (if any) would you recommend?
Thanks,
-h
Well, RO is aggressive if it’s very pure, and if that aggression has a chance to react over time with metals it might absorb some metal ions from pipes, etc. But panic not: home RO systems are not that pure, RO water is often dumped straight into your glass (unless you have a reserve tank, which are generally plastic lined anyway), and besides, why would “aggressive” water absorb more ions than were originally in the tap water anyway? what’s the drive to do that coming from?
Add a pinch of sea salt to RO water to make it taste normal and be good for you.
Add more seasalt and some sugar for an energy/rehydration drink. Or just chew the straps of your helmet.
Not much in the way of bulk powders available in Taiwan. I have found HEED in some places like Howard;'s bikes, i think, but it’s expensive (HEED tastes like shit but it’s the best for preventing cramp on a long ride as it has enough magnesium and zinc, hence the shit flavour).
Pocari make sachets that are good at about one per two liters, which you can find in some outdoors shops.
Water is the universal solvent, as any first year oceanography course will tell you. Check out the report. It does spend quite a bit of time explaining mineral deficiencies ion by ion, but here’s an excerpt from page 3
some countries focused on public
health research in this field, mainly the former USSR where desalination was
introduced to produce drinking water in some Central Asian cities. It was clear
from the very beginning that desalinated or demineralised water without further
enrichment with some minerals might not be fully appropriate for consumption.
There were three evident reasons for this:
• Demineralised water is highly aggressive and if untreated, its distribution
through pipes and storage tanks would not be possible. The aggressive
water attacks the water distribution piping and leaches metals and other
materials from the pipes and associated plumbing materials.
I’m skimming through the report now for other pertinent info:
Desalinated waters are commonly further treated by
adding chemical constituents such as calcium carbonate or limestone, or blended
with small volumes of more mineral-rich waters to improve their taste and
reduce their aggressiveness to the distribution network as well as plumbing
materials
The potential for adverse health effects from long term consumption of
demineralised water is of interest not only in countries lacking adequate fresh
water but also in countries where some types of home water treatment systems
are widely used or where some types of bottled water are consumed. Many
brands of bottled water are produced by demineralising fresh water and then
adding minerals for desirable taste. Persons consuming certain types of water
may not be receiving the additional minerals that would be present in more
highly mineralized waters.
And now from page 6
It has been adequately demonstrated that consuming water of low mineral
content has a negative effect on homeostasis mechanisms, compromising the
mineral and water metabolism in the body. An increase in urine output (i.e.,
increased diuresis) is associated with an increase in excretion of major intra- and
extracellular ions from the body fluids, their negative balance, and changes in
body water levels and functional activity of some body water management-dependent
hormones.
interesting. I’ll have to try that. Not chew the helmet straps, mind you.
foreign import restrictions by mail? Too bad, I was just in the states last week.
OK, Better than nothing. I actually hate that crap, but if it keeps deydration away on a long ride, I’ll do it. I had a very nasty dehydration experience not long ago, which I partially attribute to using RO water. Not conclusive, but it’s a reasonable assumption.
OK, Better than nothing. I actually hate that crap, but if it keeps deydration away on a long ride, I’ll do it. I had a very nasty dehydration experience not long ago, which I partially attribute to using RO water. Not conclusive, but it’s a reasonable assumption.[/quote]
Those Pocari sachets are (or used to be) available in some 7-11s.
I’ve had some dehydration problems this summer playing basketball even though I was drinking lots of (cheap) bottled water. I think this might be the reason why. I figured out that if I drink some melon tea (dong1gua1cha2) I’ll be good to go for a few hours (with water), which is counter-intuitive considering how sweet that drink is…
OK, Better than nothing. I actually hate that crap, but if it keeps deydration away on a long ride, I’ll do it. I had a very nasty dehydration experience not long ago, which I partially attribute to using RO water. Not conclusive, but it’s a reasonable assumption.[/quote]
Those Pocari sachets are (or used to be) available in some 7-11s.[/quote]
[quote=“archylgp”]I’ve had some dehydration problems this summer playing basketball even though I was drinking lots of (cheap) bottled water. I think this might be the reason why. I figured out that if I drink some melon tea (dong1gua1cha2) I’ll be good to go for a few hours (with water), which is counter-intuitive considering how sweet that drink is…
OK, Better than nothing. I actually hate that crap, but if it keeps deydration away on a long ride, I’ll do it. I had a very nasty dehydration experience not long ago, which I partially attribute to using RO water. Not conclusive, but it’s a reasonable assumption.[/quote]
Those Pocari sachets are (or used to be) available in some 7-11s.[/quote]
Do you know what they are called?
Thanks for this post and the info therein.[/quote]
Just Pocari Sweat (same as the bottles). You’re looking for boxes like this (about twice the size as a cigarette packet):
[quote=“irishstu”][quote=“archylgp”]I’ve had some dehydration problems this summer playing basketball even though I was drinking lots of (cheap) bottled water. I think this might be the reason why. I figured out that if I drink some melon tea (dong1gua1cha2) I’ll be good to go for a few hours (with water), which is counter-intuitive considering how sweet that drink is…
OK, Better than nothing. I actually hate that crap, but if it keeps deydration away on a long ride, I’ll do it. I had a very nasty dehydration experience not long ago, which I partially attribute to using RO water. Not conclusive, but it’s a reasonable assumption.[/quote]
Those Pocari sachets are (or used to be) available in some 7-11s.[/quote]
Do you know what they are called?
Thanks for this post and the info therein.[/quote]
Just Pocari Sweat (same as the bottles). You’re looking for boxes like this (about twice the size as a cigarette packet):
I try to keep it natural on my long runs. In the summer I drink about a litre of water per hour running, bananas for energy and potassium (to prevent cramps) and sea salt.
[quote=“archylgp”]I’ve had some dehydration problems this summer playing basketball even though I was drinking lots of (cheap) bottled water. I think this might be the reason why. I figured out that if I drink some melon tea (dong1gua1cha2) I’ll be good to go for a few hours (with water), which is counter-intuitive considering how sweet that drink is…
[/quote]
The drink is probably benefiting you in the sense that it has a bit of sodium or other minerals that provide osmotic benefits when in your gut. It is quite possible to drink a lot of water yet still be dehydrated, especially in endurance sports. As the blood thickens and is routed away from the gut to muscles and surface tissues during exercise in the heat, the ability of the gut’s membranes to absorb plain water declines. Getting a bit of salt in you seems to quickly restore the gut’s ability to absorb water. A lot of people of course like to drink things like gatorade with the notion that it prevents cramp (highly debatable), but a possible reason they have developed the habit of drinking it is that it helps keep them hydrated and comfortable.
I am not sure what to think about RO water and exercise. I’ve had it a couple of times when running and noticed no difference except the taste. I haven’t drunk a sports drink in an ultramarathon for about a year. I just drink tap water and then have a salty snack when I feel I need it. I never cramp and getting ahead on electrolyte drinks seems to do me a bit of harm. I’m now able to do 2 to 3 hour runs at 35c+ on water and gels only-no salty snack needed. My sweat does not burn my eyes like it used to. If one trains in the heat a lot, the body seems able to adapt. Maybe the body would be able to adapt to RO, too.
