How does altitude affect your metabolism?

General information on metabolism:

The second most important element after oxygen, water is the main constituent of our body, representing 60 to 70% of our weight. So, there is no question of running out of it!

However, water needs vary from one individual to another. Indeed, they are specific to each person's morphology, lifestyle, energy expended, climate, body temperature or physical activities practiced. It is considered that each day, between two and three liters of water escape daily from the body through different elimination pathways: urinary, respiratory, perspiration, etc.

Humans are homeothermic by nature. Even when immobile, we consume energy. Respiration, elimination functions, assimilation of food, digestion represent the minimum expenditures and characterize the basic metabolism.

Altitude, sport and dehydration:

Muscle exercise in high mountains has variable consequences depending on its duration but also on the altitude at which it is carried out. The effect will be different if it is a race of several minutes, fifteen hours or if it is an expedition of several days because the effort provided by the body and the energy needs are not the same.

Here are some factors that can also influence your physical activity:

Cold : which increases energy needs and particularly carbohydrate needs. Our metabolism struggles to maintain our body at 37°C, which therefore leads to an increase in the number of calories burned)

Oxygen : which drops sharply at altitude, the body finds itself lacking oxygen, this is called hypoxia. This lack can be felt from 1500 meters of altitude during sports practice.

Carbohydrates are the metabolites that use the least oxygen to "burn", which explains their very important role in the nutrition of mountaineers.

The level of hydration: in fact, dehydration can be significant in the mountains and is due to different causes: sweating due to intense effort or even breathing which becomes faster due to the scarcity of oxygen.

This dehydration should be taken care of because it can cause altitude sickness, which is manifested by headaches, nausea, dizziness, shortness of breath and fatigue. Dehydration can also cause serious complications, such as acute pulmonary edema (APO) or cerebral edema.

It is therefore essential to know how to recognize the symptoms of dehydration in order to be able to react at the first signs. These symptoms are:

- Dry mouth and tongue,

- Increased thirst,

- Headaches,

- Fatigue and lethargy,

- Dry skin,

- Muscle weakness,

- Dizziness,

- Lack of concentration,

Urine color remains one of the most effective ways to judge your hydration status. Indeed, dark and concentrated urine is a sign of a lack of water in the body.

Some tips:

Not only should you drink, but you should not wait until you are thirsty to drink. In fact, the feeling of thirst indicates that the body is already suffering because it is already a sign of dehydration. It then becomes very difficult to compensate for the water deficit .

Daily and outside of any effort, it is recommended to drink about 1.5 liters of water per day. However, during intense and lasting physical activity, such as hiking, our needs increase to 3 or 4 liters on average.

Be careful not to drink too cold, at the risk of creating gastric problems. Sodas and energy drinks should also be avoided because they are too sweet, which accelerates dehydration.

We advise you to drink little but often so as not to reduce muscle performance.

Drink yes, but what?

Tea and coffee are essential when hiking, but unless you are absolutely sure that you are not iron deficient, it is better to drink them away from meals. Drinking tea (black or green) or coffee considerably reduces the assimilation of iron, which is known to be necessary for the production of hemoglobin for the transport of oxygen in the blood and tissues. And at altitude, any solution for better oxygen saturation is good to take.

If you still have room in your bag, consider sparkling water . It is an alkaline drink that buffers acidity, preserves the body's mineral reserves and helps reduce cramps and aches. You will want to drink it in the evening, after exercise. Also consider reconstituted fruit juices, soups, herbal teas, etc. which allow you to vary your liquid intake and drink something other than water.

How to drink?

You should not start drinking once you have reached altitude, but 24 hours before in order to have optimal hydration!

Water suitable for exercise must contain more mineral salts in order to compensate for losses. It is also slightly sweetened to provide the rapid energy that will be able to make the link with slow energies. (See hydratis solution section). An isotonic drink will promote good gastric emptying and good intestinal absorption. It acts quickly without loading the stomach, which it leaves as quickly as water before being absorbed in the intestine. Indeed, isotonic drinks are quickly assimilated and provide the body with energy (carbohydrates).

The hydratis solution:

Our range of rehydration tablets and sachets allows you to enrich your drink with minerals and trace elements and create an ultra-hydrating drink. Indeed, this allows for faster assimilation of liquids and adapted to physiological constraints. It also helps you, thanks to its mineral salts, to support your metabolism, promotes muscle recovery, reduces physical and cerebral fatigue and helps facilitate digestion.

Consider having a preventive consultation before any stay at altitude with your doctor who will judge the advisability of a specialized consultation based on your state of health and the conditions of the stay.

Conclusion :