[-dustin]

so....headaches after a ride....what the hell causes them, 'cause they suck ass? i drink Gatorade when i'm done riding, hoping to replenish all that i've lost, but man, rarely works. these buggers last a good 4hrs, too.

also, sodium....what happens when you consume too much sodium? it seems i hear about watching calories, fat, carbs, but never sodium.

 

[Serial Midget]

I don't know why you feel like crap but I do know that too much sodium always gives me a headache - too much sodium can lead to high blood pressure in couch potatos. I don't worry about it because I play hard and cycle through the sodium fairly fast.

 

[Fathead]

Or just when it's really hot? I was getting some bad headaches after hard rides when it was hot (90+) last year. None at all over the fall or spring. My guess was dehydration. . . the headaches went right along w/the weak/dazed feeling.

Are you sufficiently hydrated BEFORE you start riding?

 

[jmvar]

Inbred, I have the same problem you do. I have been trying different things...

Last ride I ate something during the ride so that my blood sugar levels didn't drop so much. Didn't really do anything.

This weekend I am gonna try drinking water like a mad man before the ride, taking a couple Ibeprofin right after the ride, and riding with a 50/50 mixture of water and gatorade in the camel back. I will report back.

I was just gonna post the same question to see what everyone elses experience was......

please keep me posted if you find something that works..

julio

 

[Jr_Bullit]

I don't know about after the ride....Steve says I don't have enough sodium in my diet period (no chips, no added salt, I cook for myself, so if the food naturally doesn't have salt, it isn't in the sauce ...

However, sometimes I go to dinner at my mom's. My family being far more traditional, plus the fact that there's a 13 yo living there...usually has saltier/fattier foods than I'll eat...and oh boy! I almost always get a headache from it. I actually think it's from MSG and not directly sodium related.

that's just me tho...goodluck, and like the other dudes said, check yer hydration too

Oh - and try something other than Gatorade. I refuse to drink the stuff cuz I always get a headache...but try something simple like Vitamin water, or even watered down juice ...rather than Gatorade. I've heard from lots of people that Gatorade actually tries to make you thirstier

 

[VTinCT]

I know I've said this before in this forum, but its not just the sodium. Sodium is only 1/4 of the exchange equation to look at, the other parts being your potassium, calcium, and magnesium intake. Potassium and magnisium are hard to find (in significant values) in the common diet.

By keeping these four factors in some semblance of balance I've found muscle fatigue and headaches to be a thing of the past.

Just my $.02.....