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Low prevalence of exercise-associated hyponatremia in male 100 km ultra-marathon runners in Switzerland

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Abstract

We investigated the prevalence of exercise-associated hyponatremia (EAH) in 145 male ultra-marathoners at the ‘100-km ultra-run’ in Biel, Switzerland. Changes in body mass, urinary specific gravity, haemoglobin, haematocrit, plasma [Na+], and plasma volume were determined. Seven runners (4.8%) developed asymptomatic EAH. Body mass, haematocrit and haemoglobin decreased, plasma [Na+] remained unchanged and plasma volume increased. Δ body mass correlated with both post race plasma [Na+] and Δ plasma [Na+]. Δ plasma volume was associated with post race plasma [Na+]. The athletes consumed 0.65 (0.30) L/h; fluid intake correlated significantly and negatively (r = −0.50, p < 0.0001) to race time. Fluid intake was neither associated with post race plasma [Na+] nor with Δ plasma [Na+], but was related to Δ body mass. To conclude, the prevalence of EAH was low at ~5% in these male 100 km ultra-marathoners. EAH was asymptomatic and would not have been detected without the measurement of plasma [Na+].

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Acknowledgments

We thank the crew of the ‘100-km Biel’ for their generous support and the athletes for their promptness in the collection of data during the race. For her help in translation, we thank Mary Miller from Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England.

Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflict of interest and received no external funding.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Facharzt FMH für Allgemeinmedizin, Gesundheitszentrum St. Gallen, Vadianstrasse 26, 9001, St. Gallen, Switzerland

    Beat Knechtle & Patrizia Knechtle

  2. Institute of General Practice and Health Services Research, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

    Beat Knechtle & Thomas Rosemann

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  1. Beat Knechtle
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  2. Patrizia Knechtle
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  3. Thomas Rosemann
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Correspondence to Beat Knechtle.

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Communicated by Susan Ward.

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Knechtle, B., Knechtle, P. & Rosemann, T. Low prevalence of exercise-associated hyponatremia in male 100 km ultra-marathon runners in Switzerland. Eur J Appl Physiol 111, 1007–1016 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-010-1729-7

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