Excess or deficit hydration can be fatal for marathon runners, says expert

Runners are prone to dehydration because of sweating excessively, especially when they run in warm and humid climatic condition

In a long-distance race such as a marathon, proper hydration is key to running your best. While adequate hydration helps to improve your performance, an excess or deficit of it can lead to fatal consequences.

Marathon is an extreme-level endurance exercise where a runner runs for hours depending on the distance he needs to cover. When muscles contract vigorously, heat is generated. This heat needs to be dissipated. The heat regulation centre of the body, thus springs into action. It increases blood flow to the skin from where the heat is dissipated to the environment through sweat, radiation or convection.