Preventing overheating during training

[Badger1777]

Any ideas anyone? I'm one of those people that's more adapted to the cold than the heat. During training I get so hot I actually overheat sometimes and then go dizzy and faint. I'm sure that will sort itself out as my fitness comes back, but in the meantime, I'd love to be able to find a way to stay cool.

So here's what happens. I get hot, I sweat profusely, I start to dehydrate, I get hotter, I literally drip sweat and then I go dizzy and faint. I stop for a drink, drink loads (I've started added rehydration salts to my drinks), pace up and down for a minute to try to cool down, then get on with it.

Is there some kind of skin gel/oil/magic potion that helps with cooling? I've shaved my head, including my beard, to allow more heat to escape from there. I don't wear anything under my suit except for my super-sporty-undies. Our club has a rule that we don't kill ourselves (too much paperwork apparently ) so we're allowed to stop whenever we need to, but I don't want to keep stopping. I'm fit enough now to keep going, if only I could stay cool and hydrated.

 

[Blindside]

Are you sure it is actually overheating? How often are you doing this? Are you doing lots of high intensity activities?

I don't doubt that you are sweating alot, but if this is happening frequently I would look at hypoglycemia or simply over-exertion.

But to address the sweat, try wearing a wicking underlayer, Underarmor heatgear or something similar, it will do a similar job on the rest of your body that your undies are doing.

 

[Badger1777]

Are you sure it is actually overheating? How often are you doing this? Are you doing lots of high intensity activities?

I don't doubt that you are sweating alot, but if this is happening frequently I would look at hypoglycemia or simply over-exertion.

But to address the sweat, try wearing a wicking underlayer, Underarmor heatgear or something similar, it will do a similar job on the rest of your body that your undies are doing.

Definitely overheating and sweating excessively, heart racing etc. Yes its quite physical exercise at our club, but no more so than in most other clubs I think. I don't know what hypoglycemia is, but sounds like simply the muscles running out of fuel (muscle fuel being glycogen)?

I have no doubt that my current lack of fitness plays a part in this, and as such the problem should steadily diminish as my fitness comes back, but short to intermediate term I think if I can stay cooler, I'll sweat less. If I sweat less, I'll stay hydrated longer, and if I stay hydrated longer, my blood pressure wont drop off as quickly and I wont overheat as much (greater blood volume = greater cooling ability because there's more blood available to carry the excess heat away).

EDIT: Nearly forgot. i found this. It looks like a bargain?

http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/hi-gear-regulate-short-sleeve-tech-tee-p205118&Pg=3

 

[K-man]

So here's what happens. I get hot, I sweat profusely, I start to dehydrate, I get hotter, I literally drip sweat and then I go dizzy and faint. I stop for a drink, drink loads (I've started added rehydration salts to my drinks), pace up and down for a minute to try to cool down, then get on with it.

Nothing you can do about getting hot and sweating. I doubt that you are actually heating up. I think you'll find that the natural process is that your peripheral blood vessels dilate and you start to sweat, the bodies natural way of maintaining temperature. If the vasodilation is pronounced then that along with the fluid loss could explain the faintness as blood flow to the brain diminishes. (If this is the case the faintness would be relieved if you lie down for a short time.)

Another thing to check would be your pulse. If you go too hard, your heart rate can get to the stage it is not pumping efficiently and you feel faint and dizzy. The only time this happened to me I thought I was having a heart attack. I recovered after sitting down for a few minutes.

A couple of things to try. Firstly, don't wait until you are sweating and hot before you start taking fluid. By the time you're thirsty you are already dehydrated. Recognise there is likely to be a problem and start taking small drinks right from the beginning and often. Have some ice in your drink to make it a little colder but don't drink too much at once. You could try using a wet towel. Again the coldness of the towel will help the cooling process, especially if you use it on your head and face.

Rehydration drinks are fine but normally not necessary unless you are cramping. I would stick to plain water or maybe cordial, and be aware that some rehydration products are overloaded with sodium.
Hope something here might help you.
:asian:

 

[Blindside]

EDIT: Nearly forgot. i found this. It looks like a bargain?

Hi Gear Regulate Tech Tee (Short Sleeve) | GO Outdoors

Are you wearing a uniform over this? If so, I would go for more of a fitted or compression layer, not a loose design.

 

[drop bear]

Yeah compression top. Magnesium hydrator.

Endura Rehydration Energy Fuel | Endura Sports Nutrition

 

[Badger1777]

I doubt that you are actually heating up.

I am. I'm known for it. I once clocked up a temperature of 39.9'C (that was the reading taking by the ambulance man who came to attend after my wife panicked when I started pointing at things that weren't there, that would have been there had we still been in the house we left more than 2 years prior). It runs in the family, on both maternal and paternal side. I think I'm genetically built for cooler conditions

 

[Dirty Dog]

If you do find something that will stop you from sweating, DO NOT USE IT.

Sweating is how your body cools you off. Some people sweat tons. I'm one of them. What is likely happening is that your clothing is becoming saturated with sweat, and since it's not evaporating, you loose the cooling action of evaporation.
You need to add layers. Find breathable, wicking materials (pure cotton is good, but so are some synthetics). The layering and wicking will pull the sweat off your body and give it a better chance of evaporating. You're still going to sweat a ton. Your clothing will still be wringing wet when you're done. But you'll be cooler.
Rehydration drinks and pills are a gimmick. It is extremely unlikely that you're actually loosing enough non-water to cause problems. It's certainly a very very rare thing for us to use anything other than 0.9% saline to treat dehydration in the ER. And that is just about as neutral as you can possibly get, in terms of the human body. Like most vitamin supplements, these rehydration products are nothing more than a recipe for expensive urine.
Drink water. Lots of it. Not when you're thirsty, but long before you ever get thirsty.

The only other option is to crank up the air conditioning, but this may upset others in the room. Or you could put ice packs in your "super-sporty-undies". But I don't think you'll enjoy the workout much.

 

[jezr74]

A lot of good advice here. My personal experience is when I started I went through similar, but it has eased of a little. If you feel woozy, just take a break. If it's just sweat, carry a small towel in your sleeve or slipped over your belt and hang from the back, if your in a lot of contact with other students they will appreciate it and you will feel better. Shaving the head won't do too much, contrary to popular belief, you don't loose a hell of a lot of heat through your head, it's such a small surface compared to the rest of your body.

It can also be your diet, I try to only eat simpler foods on and drink a few glasses of water during the day on training nights and I go better than days I eat takeaway, or less hydrated during the day.

I personally find drinking water during a session (1.5 Hrs) of no use to me so I don't, but others do. If I'm hydrated during the day, I don't feel a need and just have a glass when I get home.


Are you a heavy set person? Smoke?

 

[Hong Kong Pooey]

Good question this, I sweat loads as soon as we start doing anything remotely physical in class. If it's a medium-heavy session then it's literally dripping off me and my T-shirt is soaking by the end.

I wouldn't say I'm a sweaty person generally, and do handle heat better than most local people I know. But as soon as training starts it's like an internal tap has been switched on!

I'm not overweight but not particularly fit either. It's interesting that somebody mentioned smoking, how would that affect sweating? I love smoking!

Sorry, I know this doesn't help you, and your's seems like a genetic condition whereas mine's probably just a general fitness issue, but just thought I'd share.

 

[jezr74]

Good question this, I sweat loads as soon as we start doing anything remotely physical in class. If it's a medium-heavy session then it's literally dripping off me and my T-shirt is soaking by the end.

I wouldn't say I'm a sweaty person generally, and do handle heat better than most local people I know. But as soon as training starts it's like an internal tap has been switched on!

I'm not overweight but not particularly fit either. It's interesting that somebody mentioned smoking, how would that affect sweating? I love smoking!

Sorry, I know this doesn't help you, and your's seems like a genetic condition whereas mine's probably just a general fitness issue, but just thought I'd share.

Smoking has been in general terms linked to sweating. Nicotine stimulates your sweat glands so has an impact.

 

[Badger1777]

Are you a heavy set person? Smoke?

14st (196lb). Ex-smoker.

It's interesting that somebody mentioned smoking, how would that affect sweating? I love smoking!

Smoking fills you with poison. Sweating has multiple functions. The obvious one is to cool you, but it is also a mechanism for expelling toxins, so smokers generally sweat more even when not exerting themselves, as the body does its best to detox you.

Sorry, I know this doesn't help you, and your's seems like a genetic condition whereas mine's probably just a general fitness issue, but just thought I'd share.

Mine is probably influenced by genetics, but I have no doubt that fitness comes into it too. The latter probably more than the former I suspect.

 

[Dirty Dog]

Sweating has multiple functions. The obvious one is to cool you, but it is also a mechanism for expelling toxins, so smokers generally sweat more even when not exerting themselves, as the body does its best to detox you.

Um... no.

Sweat is 99% water. The remaining 1% is mostly sodium (0.9%) with the remaining 0.01% being urea, carbohydrates and proteins. No toxins.

People often make the claim that you can sweat out toxins. There are also those who say that Elvis is alive and well and helping aliens abduct bored housewives in Ohio.

They're wrong too.

 

[Badger1777]

Um... no.

Sweat is 99% water. The remaining 1% is mostly sodium (0.9%) with the remaining 0.01% being urea, carbohydrates and proteins. No toxins.

People often make the claim that you can sweat out toxins. There are also those who say that Elvis is alive and well and helping aliens abduct bored housewives in Ohio.

They're wrong too.

So compounds with molecules small enough to fit in between the genes in your DNA, those causing mutations that can lead to cancer, are too large to fit through the pores in your skin?

When someone eats too much garlic and they develop a cold sweat shortly after, and their sweat actually smells of garlic, that is pure coincidence?

The myth you refer to, that you can actively sweat poisons out, is of course a myth in the sense that you can't simply go out on a Friday night, fill yourself with whatever you want, and then live guilt free by going to a sauna the next morning, but the simple fact is you do sweat more if you are full of certain things that you shouldn't be full of, and some of those toxins will be carried out in your sweat.

Have you ever owned a dog? Have you ever noticed how they seem to be able to read a lot of information just from someone's scent? Well, if sweat is always as pure as you suggest, then I guess those dogs are just reacting randomly and all the research and training that's gone into exploiting a dog's super sense of smell, for everything from hunting to crime detection to medical situations, its all just a massive waste of time.

And as for the tone of your response, if you have some knowledge that demonstrates that I'm wrong, well say so constructively. Dismissing my post as being stupid and comparable to believe Elvis is still alive, well that would just be plain insulting if I was the kind that gets insulting by such disappointingly petty remarks.

 

[Dirty Dog]

So compounds with molecules small enough to fit in between the genes in your DNA, those causing mutations that can lead to cancer, are too large to fit through the pores in your skin?

When someone eats too much garlic and they develop a cold sweat shortly after, and their sweat actually smells of garlic, that is pure coincidence?

The myth you refer to, that you can actively sweat poisons out, is of course a myth in the sense that you can't simply go out on a Friday night, fill yourself with whatever you want, and then live guilt free by going to a sauna the next morning, but the simple fact is you do sweat more if you are full of certain things that you shouldn't be full of, and some of those toxins will be carried out in your sweat.

Have you ever owned a dog? Have you ever noticed how they seem to be able to read a lot of information just from someone's scent? Well, if sweat is always as pure as you suggest, then I guess those dogs are just reacting randomly and all the research and training that's gone into exploiting a dog's super sense of smell, for everything from hunting to crime detection to medical situations, its all just a massive waste of time.

And as for the tone of your response, if you have some knowledge that demonstrates that I'm wrong, well say so constructively. Dismissing my post as being stupid and comparable to believe Elvis is still alive, well that would just be plain insulting if I was the kind that gets insulting by such disappointingly petty remarks.

*sigh*....
Can you sweat toxins out of your body? - Medical Myths - University of Arkansas Medical Sciences
8 Health Lies and Fitness Myths from Exercise Trainers
HowStuffWorks "Does sweating cleanse your system?"
Working Out Eliminates Toxins - How Much Water Should I Drink a Day: 10 Health and Fitness Myths You Still Believe | Shape Magazine
Can You Sweat Out Toxins?
Sweating Out Toxins | The Derm Blog

Need I go on?

 

[Blindside]

*sigh*....
Can you sweat toxins out of your body? - Medical Myths - University of Arkansas Medical Sciences
8 Health Lies and Fitness Myths from Exercise Trainers
HowStuffWorks "Does sweating cleanse your system?"
Working Out Eliminates Toxins - How Much Water Should I Drink a Day: 10 Health and Fitness Myths You Still Believe | Shape Magazine
Can You Sweat Out Toxins?
Sweating Out Toxins | The Derm Blog

Need I go on?

What are you, a doctor or something???

 

[Dirty Dog]

What are you, a doctor or something???

An ER/Flight nurse with 30+ years of experience and a masters in human physiology.

 

[Badger1777]

An ER/Flight nurse with 30+ years of experience and a masters in human physiology.

And does this make you qualified to be patronising and insulting?

Even if you are right and I am wrong, a possibility I am always willing to accept, your 30+ years of experience must surely have taught you that people will be more willing to take you seriously if you show them some respect, rather than making petty digs clearly intended to imply that someone else is just plain stupid rather than potentially misinformed.

 

[Dirty Dog]

And as for the tone of your response, if you have some knowledge that demonstrates that I'm wrong, well say so constructively. Dismissing my post as being stupid and comparable to believe Elvis is still alive, well that would just be plain insulting if I was the kind that gets insulting by such disappointingly petty remarks.

And does this make you qualified to be patronising and insulting?

Even if you are right and I am wrong, a possibility I am always willing to accept, your 30+ years of experience must surely have taught you that people will be more willing to take you seriously if you show them some respect, rather than making petty digs clearly intended to imply that someone else is just plain stupid rather than potentially misinformed.

For someone who claims not to be insulted by what they read, you sure seem pissed off a comment that I think most would recognize as humor. I never said your post was stupid. You did. I said it was wrong, and explained why. If you choose to be insulted by that, then I guess there's not much anybody can do about it.
Have a nice day.

 

[Hong Kong Pooey]

Um... no.

Sweat is 99% water. The remaining 1% is mostly sodium (0.9%) with the remaining 0.01% being urea, carbohydrates and proteins. No toxins.

People often make the claim that you can sweat out toxins. There are also those who say that Elvis is alive and well and helping aliens abduct bored housewives in Ohio.

They're wrong too.

So smoking has no bearing on how much I sweat? Or at least from a toxin perspective?

I guess the overall effect it it has on my cardio-vascular functions could be a factor though?