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→Symptoms and Possible Meanings
==Symptoms and Possible Meanings==
These are suggestions and guidelines rather than firm rules, so apply with caution and common sense.
* '''Thirsty.''' If you're thirsty, drink.
* '''Thirst and Urination.''' If you are thirsty, but everything you drink creates urine without quenching your thirst, you may be low on electrolytes.
* '''Swollen Hands.''' The most likely cause is lack of electrolytes, but can also be triggered by re-hydration following prolonged dehydration. (There are other possible causes outside of hydration.)
* '''Skin Turgor.''' When you pinch the skin on the back of your hand and release, it should spring back into shape. If it moves back slowly, you may be dehydrated. If it 'tents', then you may be badly dehydrated.
* '''Salt Stains.''' These salt stains on clothing, or a salty crust on the skin are sometimes considered a sign of 'salty sweating'. I do not believe this is the case, but rather an indication that conditions are producing a lot of sweat, but the sweat that is evaporating quickly and leaving the salt behind. Cooler conditions produce less sweat, and warmer/humid conditions cause the sweat to roll off, taking the salt with it.* '''Lack of urine.''' This can be a sign of dehydration, but not always. One cause of [[Hyponatremia]] is a hormone that stops you producing urine. If you are not producing urine but are not thirsty, don't drink. Dehydration is self correcting and rarely causes a problem, but over-hydration is dangerous and can be fatal.
==Weight Drop from Dehydration==
If you weigh yourself before and after you run the difference between the two numbers will be the change in body water. However, on a longer run (~16+ miles), you will lose about 4 pounds due to burning off carbohydrate ([[Glycogen]]). So if your weight has dropped 0-4 Lb, you're probably hydrating okay. If your weight has dropped much more than 4lb, you may need more fluids and possibly electrolytes. If your weight has gone up, you probably need more electrolytes.
