Pre Contest Sodium

[steve_d]

Justin Harris made it a point to say that even if you cut sodium out 2 days before a show your body still contains tons of sodium so that is more then enough to carb up. He believes in having lots of sodium during prep and low sodium the last 48hrs I believe.

right on. that makes sense to me just based on past experience. In the past I've cut sodium as early as monday before the show (before I knew anything), then over the years this gradually went to tuesday, wednesday, and thursday before the show. Last time I cut salt on thursday at 5pm, but considering the amount of salt I ate those days (pickles, etc) I am sure the 10 or so litres I drank between 5pm thursday and the time I cut on friday, there was still a little salt in the system to carb up with.

[Praetorian]

The key to coming in your absolute best...being full, hard, and dry is to make very small changes only...drastic things like drinking tonnes of water, cutting sodium out 2 days or more, loading on sodium the last few days, taking too much diuretics, or the wrong kinds etc are futile attempts at best and should be avoided. If you have to do this type of thing you have a bigger problem then just water retention. Keeping water and sodium moderately high throughout the diet is necessary not for vascularity but because you are eating much less carbs youll naturally flush more water out then usual....thus hydration and electrolytes can become an issue. At 24 hours out all that is necessary is to cut additional sodium anything naturally present in food is fine and to cut water the evening before the show. Once you are dry the next morning sodium can be reintroduced. Remember sodium goes hand in hand with blood pressure...increased blood pressure equals vascularity....not candy bars or honey.
P

[Praetorian]

This may help clear things up...some info I have gathered over the years from a variety of intelligent people.
P

DROPPING YOUR WATER PRE-CONTEST: MANIPULATING THE SCIENCE BEHIND WATER HOMEOSTASIS

The factors involved

*Where the water exists-Water hierarchy

*How the body works with respect to dropping water-Homeostasis control

*Hormone and electrolyte control-Sodium and Aldosterone


THE BODY’S WATER HIERARCHY-where the water exists

*The most important water store is in the blood and the vascular system. Without adequate water in the vascular system blood volume is compromised, and if severe enough, the result is death. So this rates a big number one in the water store hierarchy.

*The second on the big three list is muscle tissue. Water is required within all muscle tissues, both smooth and fibrous, to support life sustaining metabolic processes.

*The last area of importance for water storage is subcutaneous (under the skin) areas. This of course is the area that a bodybuilder wants to eliminate as much water from as possible the day of the show. The results a ‘make-it or break-it’ issue. Here’s how you do it:


HOW THE BODY WORKS-water homeostasis control

The body functions in feedback loops, including water homeostasis, much like the thermostat and the air conditioner in your house, car, etc.

If you set the AC to 70 (its set point), the temp must reach some threshold (say 72) before it kicks in. It will cool until it reaches some value below its set point, say 68. There is an overshoot in the system. There must be some off-set or error to turn the AC on when the temperature reaches 72, and as a result it will cool to provide somewhat of a temperature buffer (for example 68 or 2 degree below the set point of 70).

Your body works much in the same way: imagine how your inner thermostat would react if you turned a heater on near the thermometer, but on the other side of the room from the AC. The heater would blast the thermometer (sensor) and the AC would be going full blast to cool the room. If you cut the heater off, the "smart" thermostat would not just cool the room to 68 - it would cool it to some level below that, because it remembers that there's a "threat" of heat AND the thermometer still hot, even though most of the room is at or below 70. (It senses a hotter room than is actually the case!) Water homeostasis is a bit more complicated, but you can use this principle to trick the body into drying out - losing water to a level of dehydration below its normal set point. :

How to do this:
-Turn on diuresis in the body by drinking plenty of water.
-The body will respond homeostatically by removing this water from the system. It senses that there is too much water because electrolytes (especially sodium) are diluted in the blood. When the water is lost, there will necessarily be some sodium loss.
-ABRUPTLY stop drinking water and watch as the body continues removing it and "smartly" overshoots previous level of hydration, leaving you dry as a bone.
Additions to this: (very individualistic)
-The use of proper diuretics turning on diuresis even more.
-Take in no additional sodium as you are finishing (day before contest only) your water intake.
-Adding sodium back in day of the show will prevent cramping, increase blood pressure and help with getting a pump




SALT: THE PRE-CONTEST NUTRIENT

Salt contains sodium, and to a less degree potassium in the form of potassium iodide. When salt/sodium is reduced or eliminated from the diet the result is increased Aldosterone release. This makes the body excrete more potassium and hold more sodium/water. The resulting water retention gives the athlete a puffy wet look. This is due to electrolyte imbalances.

Reduced slat intake also negatively affects the all important sodium-potassium pump. This is the mechanism the body used to shuttle many nutrients into cells like those that all muscle fibers are composed of. (Gee, ya think?) This would therefore inhibit creatine and some amino acid structures from adequately transporting, as well as inhibit glycogen synthesis.

If the salt content is reduced in muscles so is the water content. This means catabolism, flat muscles come show time, and a lack of vascularity. (It would also inhibit erectile function, but that is another issue altogether.)

The key to subcutaneous water control depends upon control of the hormone aldosterone. Obviously estrogen control is part of this hormone cascade action/reaction. But, our main focus is sodium and water control, so aldosterone is the key.


While pre-contest dieting an athlete should have a relatively high sodium intake. This creates an environment in which the body does not have to release Aldosterone. This causes sodium to stay in the muscle tissue and the subsequent attraction of water stores there. Also, the all important maintaining of the sodium-potassium pump is accommodated as well. (During diet phases, this also reduces catabolism).

At the same time water intake should be relatively high as well. This helps your body excrete any extra sodium, which of course it will, because Aldosterone secretion in the body has been controlled by elevated salt intake/water intake. The body will continue to dump all excess water and sodium as long as this is followed.

On the Friday evening before a Saturday show, the athlete stops water intake and sodium is reduced 24 hours before the show only. The body thinks it will still get the same amount of water and continues to excrete water at its normal rate. This causes a decrease in blood volume and of course muscle water volume. Remember the body’s water hierarchy? Well, as a survival response or reaction, the body gives up water from the area of least importance as a means of compensation. Yup, you got it. Subcutaneous water is pumped into blood and muscles. The result is vascularity, full muscles bellies, and paper thin skin.

*It’s always a matter of working with, not against, the body’s action/reaction factors to accomplish the greatest progress and/or results.

High water intake inhibits ADH release (high blood volume --> low anti-diuretic hormone release --> less water reabsorption in the kidneys)

....Since ADH is suppressed from the high water intake, once you cut out water you will lose more because less is reabsorbed as it is cycled through the kidneys.........it usually takes at least a couple of days until ADH secretion is back to normal (via feedback loop)

Tapering water causes ADH secretion to increase in response to the slow reduction in water intake. It is COUNTERPRODUCTIVE to taper water!!!

Now being dry is one thing but if you are not lean it makes little difference. The statement I was holding water is used far too often when the issue is the athlete is just not lean enough. Drying out does not make up for a bad diet or missed training and cardio sessions…it is a finishing touch only!! It also takes experience to perfect.

[Delt King]

So many people misunderstand this concept. Thanks P

[Andre Gregoire]

Good post Praetorian, Thanks!