Dehydration

[tincan715]

I've found that the old "if you don't need to pee, you need to drink" rule works well in many circumstances.

 

[TSandM]

Dehydration is the biggest single factor in DCI cases.

The article on the DAN website on DCS states that dehydration is one of several factors which are THOUGHT to play a role in DCS, but for which evidence is not conclusive. This factor is frequently invoked when people have DCS which is not otherwise easy to explain, and you can probably suspect some degree of lack of optimal hydration in most people during a long diving day. But I think it's definitely an overstatement to say that it's the single biggest factor. Poor ascent strategies or control are a much bigger factor, as are long, cold dives, and strenuous post-dive exertion.

 

[copter53]

Some days we both get to the point where we hate the taste of water and compensate by mixing in gatorade or flavored water.

Bottoms up!

Medically speaking there is something called over-hydration. If you are drinking water to the point that you start hating the taste that is def overkill. Also, u will prolly have a piss infested wet-suit. A good amount is just one bottle of water every 3 hours. 24/3 = 8 bottles a day. But don't go chugging gallons of water before each dive.

 

[String]

The local chamber here estimates that 75% of bends are caused by dehydration.
At a lower level we see dehydration related headaches and occasionally vomiting a lot - far more than any other ailment.

People are generally dehydrated anyway, then they're in a wetsuit, in the sun and breathing dry gas so dehydrating with every breath.

Im guilty of it quite a bit as i hate the effort of having to remove my gear to use a toilet or spend 40 mins of a dive in agony waiting to get out.

I don't drink enough on land because i just loathe the taste of water. I get so bored i cant force myself to drink it. I did try mixing apple juice but thats revolting when the drink has been in the sun for a few hours.
At an estimate i reckon i get through 1-2l a day at most.

 

[mdb]

There are options:http://www.apollosportsusa.com/Products/Regulators/Moisture_Overview.htm

 

[divingtpapa]

Proper hydration definitely keeps sea sickness at bay when diving North Carolina.

 

[Mr Carcharodon]

To see how far you have to go to see a significant difference due to dehydration take a look at Aviation, Space and Environmental Medicine Vol 77, (2) 102-106 (2006). In that case they went 1,310 minutes past NDL for a 110 fsw dive and ascended with no decompression. 80% of the well hydrated control group got bent. But the dehydrated group had roughly twice as many symptoms and had faster onset of symptoms. That said running that far past NDL is more representative of an industrial accident that any recreational diving. For exposures that are more representative of recreational dives it is uncertain that dehydration is significant.

Depth, time and mix are primary factors to pay attention to. Staying warm, and not doing too much physical exercise are significant too. Being well hydrated may help and certainly is not harmful. But focusing on it is a potential distraction for other more important factors. You would be better off spending a couple extra minutes shallow than obsessing over the color of your urine.

 

[Doc]

There are options:Apollo Sports: Dive Gear

Or the jug of water from MallWart for 99¢ {free refills}

Amazing. 27 posts and at least no one has mentioned SCUDA, Camelback or Juice Boxes. Maybe we're getting somewhere at long last.

In warm water pretty fish world....
If you're diving and you aren't peeing... you're dehydrated.

 

[vladimir]

The article on the DAN website on DCS states that dehydration is one of several factors which are THOUGHT to play a role in DCS, but for which evidence is not conclusive. This factor is frequently invoked when people have DCS which is not otherwise easy to explain, and you can probably suspect some degree of lack of optimal hydration in most people during a long diving day. But I think it's definitely an overstatement to say that it's the single biggest factor. Poor ascent strategies or control are a much bigger factor, as are long, cold dives, and strenuous post-dive exertion.

There seems to be a tendency to seize upon dehydration as the likely culprit in DCS cases. Perhaps we want risk factors that are easy to control, or mechanisms that seem easy to understand. Dr Deco has also questioned the primacy often accorded to dehydration as a risk factor:

Hydration

This is not usually a big player in the normal recreational diver. It has been investigated, and results show that very dehydrated animal subjects have a higher risk of DCS – and this includes neurological DCS.

Gempp E, Blatteau JE, Pontier JM, Balestra C, Louge P. Preventive effect of pre-dive hydration on bubble formation in divers. Br J Sports Med. 2009 Mar;43(3):224-8.

Fahlman A, Dromsky DM. Dehydration effects on the risk of severe decompression sickness in a swine model. Aviat Space Environ Med. 2006 Feb;77(2):102-6.​

Dr Deco :doctor:

 

[Spazzy]

Get hydrated or get bent. Fact.