Heat Cramps - the warning signs

Heat Cramps - the warning signs

Even elite athletes should be aware of the dangers of excessive amounts of physical endurance in the heat.

Muscle cramps and leg cramps, while they're painful, can be a useful warning sign that all is not well. Especially if you're practiced at ignoring them and running through them.

The next phase after heat cramps is fatigue, followed by heat exhaustion and if the situation continues then heat stroke leading to unconsciousness and death can result.

There are 2 points here. The first is that just because you exercise doesn't mean you're going to be healthy all the time and it certainly doesn't give you any immunity to dropping dead. Plenty of athletes suddenly drop dead during sport and exercise.

The second is that exercise, without some form of supplementation, is suicide. When you sweat you sweat out more than just salt and water. Your sweat is a soup of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and essential nutrients and if you're engaged in any type of physical activity then you need a plan to replace what you're sweating out.

The body gives you warning signs in the form of cramps and there are some very simple steps you can take to eliminate those cramps and eliminate the risks associated with sudden death during exercise.