Heat Illness BEAT THE HEAT S By Training & Conditioning Staff ummer's high temperatures put studentathletes at increased risk of heat illness. There are several types of heat illness. They range in severity, from heat cramps and heat exhaustion, Dehydration and Heat Illnesses As a rule of thumb, most athletes should consume 200 to 300 milliliters of fluid every 15 minutes of exercise. It only takes 30 minutes for cell damage to occur with a core body temperature of 105 degrees. Exertional heat stroke is among the top three killers of athletes and soldiers in training. Fast Facts * It takes seven to 14 days for a body to adapt to exercising in the heat. * Dehydration at levels of three to four percent body mass loss can reduce muscle strength by an estimated two percent. 44 | Training & Conditioning | June/July 2023 Sources: Korey Stringer Institute, American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, NATA which are common but not severe, to heat stroke, which can be deadly. Although heat illnesses can be fatal, death is preventable if quickly recognized and properly treated.