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No Laughing Matter for Funny Guy Lawrence
Actor and comedian Martin Lawrence was going for the Rocky Balboa tough-guy-jogger
look when his heavy clothing and the 100-degree midday heat led him to heat
exhaustion and a coma instead.
Lawrence, who starred in such films as Bad Boys and Life, ran regularly and was
trying to lose weight for an upcoming film role last week when he collapsed and
was rushed to a hospital near his home in Thousand Oaks, CA, Sunday, August
22nd, suffering from a 107 degree fever.
According to news reports, Lawrence emulated the image of an old-fashioned fighter
working out because he believed it would help him shed pounds quickly. In
reality, he lost weight—lots of water—became dehydrated and overheated. When
the body overheats, muscles break down and blood protein concentration goes
through the roof. This sudden rise in blood protein concentration overstresses
the kidneys, and can, as in Lawrence’s case, bring about a coma.
How to Avoid Overheating
The circumstances that led to Lawrence’s collapse could have been easily avoided
through common sense and by following a few rules of thumb. Here are some tips to keep you healthy, happy, hydrated—and in fighting trim.
- Know your body and exercise within your comfort zone.
Pay attention to warning signs—feelings of discomfort, exhaustion or
strain—your body will never lie. Always slow down or rest to
avoid injury.
- Don’t work out in extreme temperatures.
Heat and excessive sweating stress your heart and result in an elevated heart
rate for a given intensity level. For a better workout, exercise at a cooler
time of day.
- Wear comfortable clothing.
In hot, humid weather, wear light-colored, loose-fitting garments. Although
cotton absorbs sweat, synthetic fabrics pull the moisture away from the skin.
The goal is to vent heat and moisture to avoid excessive dehydration, possible
heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
- Don’t push too hard.
“No pain, no gain” and “feel the burn” are common
myths that can quickly lead to injury. Constantly exercising in what’s
known as the “gray zone”—where you’re working hard but not quite hammering
yourself—eventually leads to burnout and stalled progress. A sensible,
efficient program includes easy recovery days, moderate-paced endurance days,
and (when you’re fit enough) occasional short but hard days. It’s okay to
spend some time in the gray zone, but don’t set up camp there.
- Stay hydrated.
Most athletes don’t drink enough. Your sensation of thirst
doesn’t kick in until you are already clinically dehydrated. The moral: slug
down plenty of fluids before you get thirsty—and keep drinking after exercise.
A rule of thumb is to weigh yourself before and after a workout and drink 20
ounces of fluid for every pound of water weight you lose.
- Keep drinking after your workouts to re-hydrate completely.
If you aren’t urinating frequently, and your urine isn’t pale yellow,
you aren’t drinking enough. Make it a habit to carry around a water bottle
and sip from it frequently. Put the bottle on your desk at work and drain it at
least twice a day.
- Several days of dehydrating workouts can have serious effects.
If you find you’re losing too much weight after workouts, it’s a sign
of dehydration, not fat loss. The latter comes more slowly.
- Hydrate with sports drinks.
Hydrating with plain water is not as effective as consuming sports drinks that
contain electrolytes like sodium, which help you retain the fluid you’re
drinking.
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