Heat Exhaustion+Energy Drink=Death

[yarbonwick]

The following was posted by a riding bud of mine over at the Texas Sportbike Association. Please, please, please hydrate!

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Guys I had some very sad news told to me yesterday. A good friend of my wife's lost her husband a couple of weeks ago at Muenster because of heat exhaustion!

In a nutshell he was riding with a couple of mates and they called it a day. He was feeling weak and tired and dehydrated so he said that he would chill out on his chair under the tree and drink his redbulls until he felt better then would drive home.

Well his other buddies left him and about 9.30-10.00 p.m. that evening one of his mates calls his house to find out how he was doing only to talk to his frantic wife as she has not heard from him.

They head back up to Muenster and find him still sitting in the shade where they had left him - dead.

After the autopsy the doc stated that he had drunk two red bulls and the spike in caffiene and sugar had put his heart into overload and he died.

the Doc advised that its better to rehydrate with water and gatorade than any type of redbull or monster and if one of your mates is not feeling well - STAY WITH THEM!

I only posted this as some of you are racing and still riding in this heat and to be honest I can honestly say that the heat exhaustion has hit me already this season and I had to pull out of a race.
It took me well over 40 minutes with a cold wet towel over my head, my shirt off, drinking cold ice water in the shade before I even felt semi-normal.

Please be careful out there and drink plenty of fluids before, during and after. Stay away from Caffiene!
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[Philip]

Thanks for posting. Sunday I was washing the bikes which is not very taxing but it was really hot. After I finished with the power washer I sprayed them down with WD40 at which time I felt really overheated. I had a Monster right before I started so I sat on a bucket and started to feel nausiated (sp?). After about 5 min. I threw up rather violently and had to go in and lay down. It was the next morning b4 I felt better. I have never had that feeling before and was wondering if it was the Monster or not. Thanks again and sorry to hear about your friend. We shall pray for his family. Godspeed :(

 

[KX02]

Sorry to hear what happened. If anything good could come of it, perhaps it will save some people here from getting sick or worse. As said before, in this hot weather drink plenty of fluids BEFORE your riding session begins as well as during breaks and afterwards. Waiting until you feel exhausted is too late.

 

[Okiewan]

Man, that's a bad deal. I can't imagine being one of the guys that left him there, even if it didm't seem like an issue. Damn.

Godspeed.

As said before, in this hot weather drink plenty of fluids BEFORE your riding session begins

Not just before, you can't hydrate in minutes ... you need to STAY hydrated (best) all week long or at least start to hydrate 2-3 days before the ride. Yes, also during the ride to help replenish.

 

[mx547]

i've never had an energy drink.

i gave up caffiene about ten years ago. it got to the point that half a coke would make my heart go 100 mph, it seemed like. after a few days of it, i even went to the hospital thinking i might be having a heart attack.

every once in awhile, i'll try a coke or coffee and i still get the same result.

 

[TwinSpar]

Another sign to watch for is if you stop sweating. Don't even try to push through that. It is a sign of possible heat exhaustion/stroke. I've suffered heat exhaustion to the point of being totally delirious. It's not fun.

I managed to hit the no sweating point on sunday while riding. This hot weather SUCKS for us fat out of shape old farts. I really should be more intelligent but... I'm too hard headed :bang: and I'm invincible :coocoo:

 

[mdkuder]

A few of us at work were talking about energy drinks the other day and the fact that we see a lot of people drinking them. I know of a few people that have one with them at all times, can't be a good thing. I drink lot's of water, while riding I like to alternate between Gatorade and water, I usually drink a Red Bull after I'm done riding to recupe a little energy, but that's the only time.

 

[biglou]

I like my RedBull over ice. With a little Vodka and a splash of cranberry. Other than that, tons of water daily and also some Gatorade when riding in the heat.

 

[Okiewan]

And Sunday was a "cool" day Twinnie! It only got up to what, 97? I have no desire to ride in this heat. I don't even like it in the high 80's. I'll wait for the other 9 months of the year to ride. Yeah, it's an old and fat thing I guess, but optimal temps are mid 50's to 75.

 

[JMD]

That's a sad story. It's too easy to forget how dangerous life can be. Seems like every year we lose a rider or racer to the heat here in the Southwest.

Last year my sons and I did a lot of riding in the heat. We drank a lot of water and Gatorade, and we soaked our helmet liners with the ice water from the cooler. We also soaked towels in the icy water and wrapped them around our necks, which helped for about 10 minutes, then dried out. We made short loops of about 25 minutes, then back to camp for shade and more water. And it was still miserable.

This year, I'm recuperating from a broken collarbone. Best time of year to break your collarbone, by the way. I highly recommend summer for broken bones, if you absolutely have to break a bone. And apparently I did. Honestly, I'm not all that eager to get out there until it cools off.

My condolences to the guy's family. Godspeed.

 

[Mudd Slinger]

I was helped out of the woods one time by a bunch of friends up at Kiamanchi after taking cold medicine the night before. I was sick and a little weak but could not resist the tempation of riding anyways. I was drinking water too. I was very similiar to heat exaustion sysptoms. Beware of riding in the heat and thank God for good friends that reconized what was happening.

 

[Proxy]

Very sad story.

I had been sitting out for about a month due to the heat, but I've been going for short rides at Marshall Creek lately. I just can't justify a trip north to Muenster knowing I wouldn't be able to ride for more than a few hours. MC is a decent place during the week after work. Last time I went there were only 2 other bikes there. Heading back up there today after work.

 

[cjfolse]

I can attest to getting heat exhaustion a couple times and I must say, it is not a fun thing!

Gatorade or Powerade are essential. Water does not rehydrate the body fast enough. There is are interesting articles all over the internet about sports drinks versus water. Here is one for example.

http://www.gssiweb.com/reflib/refs/131/d00000002000002b2.cfm?pid=58&CFID=4723442&CFTOKEN=53975676

My new routine is start drinking gatorade (plenty of it) in the morning when I wake before a ride. Then during the day, I'll mix half water and half gatorade so all that sweet fluid is not upsetting your stomach.

This regime works great for heat exhaustion and also stomach cramps (for the more out of shape people like myself).

Caleb Folse

 

[tyesai]

And Sunday was a "cool" day Twinnie! It only got up to what, 97? I have no desire to ride in this heat. I don't even like it in the high 80's. I'll wait for the other 9 months of the year to ride. Yeah, it's an old and fat thing I guess, but optimal temps are mid 50's to 75.

+1000

I thought I was the only one, I haven't been out to ride since the end of May. I am finally getting ready to go Monday. I never have felt the need to dress up in thirty pounds of riding gear and wrestle around a 220 pound bike when I can barely stand to push the mower around the yard in shorts and flip flops. When the temp hits the 90's this fat old man quits.