Thanks for the support. I think GP is right to be cautious (and data is not necessarily equivalent to multiple anecdotes over more than a decade). However, I wo

Thanks for the support. I think GP is right to be cautious (and data is not necessarily equivalent to multiple anecdotes over more than a decade). However, I would assert that my experiences are not unique. You are correct that the symptoms are different [1][2], and that first aid training (in my case, Red Cross) acknowledges the necessity of both fluids and electrolytes. More broadly, the term "[D]ehydration, despite the name, does not simply mean loss of water, as water and solutes (mainly sodium) are usually lost in roughly equal quantities" [3], meaning that even if water is replenished, salt intake must also be increased. It's been my experience (and we're back to anecdote, unsupported by my first aid training) that dehydration may occur quickly (especially in hot weather), but insufficient electrolytes occurs over a period of days of insufficient replenishment (e.g., training, sports tournaments, resident camps). 1: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001431/ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001431/ 2: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001977/ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001977/ 3: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dehydration http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dehydration