Question

Football players demonstrated a variety of physiological impacts of water imbalances. A couple of the things the players experienced were 1) an intense desire to "guzzle" water, and 2) numerous negative side effects (bloating, inflammation, cramps, etc.) if they did guzzle water. Explain the following...

From an Anatomy & Physiology  perspective, what caused the athletes to have the desire to drink water?

Also from an Anatomy & Physiology perspective, why did the athletes experience so many negative reactions if they did drink tons of water during their intense exercise?

Use the terms plasma, ICF, and osmoreceptors in your responses

Answer 1

During the intense period of football session the body losses water and sodium through the process of sweating. This loss of sodium and water increases the plasma osmolarity which activates the osmoreceptors in hypothalamus. The hypothalamus sends signals to posterior pituitary to release ADH. ADH stimulates the thirst as well as acts on kidneys to retain water. This is the main mechanism for increased thirst in football players and desire to drink too much water during football sessions.
It is necessary to replenish the fluid and electrolyte lost during exercise bybdrinking adequate amount of fluids. But drinking too much fluid results in overhydration. This causes hyponatremia and hyperosmosis which gives rise to symptoms such as bloating, inflammation, cramps.
When an individual consumes too much water it results in overhydration. The water content of extracellular fluid increases and sodium content decreases in comparison to intracellular fluid. This results in shifting of fluid from ECF to ICF. This results in cell swelling. This sudden shift of fluids from ECF to ICF results in negative side effects.