Hydrating yourself during treks
Water is very often one of the most heavy items in your backpack when you start on trek, especially on treks where there are no known water sources along the way. Adding 3 - 4 litres of water in the pack is no joke… but that is no reason for NOT bringing water.
There is a need to replace the water you lose during trekking. According to what I have read, we can lose about 2 - 3 litres of water everyday during trekking, through our perspiration and waste removal. That is a lot of water! Remember that our body is supposed to be 70% water - so keep it at that ratio if you do not want to risk dehydrating!
The sensation of thirst does not accurately reflect the body’s needs - the key to staying properly hydrated is to drink BEFORE you feel thirsty, and continue to drink AFTER you feel that your thirst is satisfied. Of course, the fluid intake levels range from person to person, but it is recommended to drink about 500ml before the start of trek, and then, at least 200ml every half hourly during your rest times.
How do you ensure that you have drank enough water? It would be best, if you are able to urinate 5 times a day, with clear urine! 
When in doubt, drink more, not less. Remember, you can dehydrate, but you can’t possibly over hydrate!
Drink!
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April 15th, 2006 at 12:40 pm
Visit sharlet
I read somewhere that drinking *too much* water (within a certain period of time) is also bad for the body…
April 23rd, 2006 at 7:53 pm
Visit Martin Dinan
Drinking too much water may be bad indeed. You see it often in endurance sports such as marathon. When I did my first race, I drank so much that my body became sodium depleted near the 35 km mark.
The potential problem are compounded when you trek in high altitude. Over 4,000-5,000 metres, you appetite shrink and do not “pack” enough carbohydrate and sodium. Gatorade (and not water) will help you going to the top.
You do have to drink a lot, however it is better to drink Gatorade than water.
April 24th, 2006 at 9:16 pm
Visit Kian Ann
Thanks for the nifty advice! I guess the rule would be to keep the composition of the body as if it was resting.
Yeah, I remember reading that isotonic drinks at the end of the day will help you recover better because they replenish the sodium in the body. Sodium is used to counter the lactic acid when you exert energy, so its used up especially fast when you do strenuous stuff like trekking or running… don’t know how correct this is though!