FIGURE 4.

Schematic model of our observations on the physiological effects of sweat loss in Bikram yoga. Water and sodium were lost in the sweat during 90 min of Bikram yoga. This produced a 9.7% decrease in the ECF and effective circulating volume. Renin was released from the kidneys activating the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system causing an increase in plasma aldosterone. The targets of aldosterone include several sodium transporting epithelia, increasing sodium reabsorption from the gut and from the kidney tubules. The increased sodium reabsorption will increase the osmolality of the blood stimulating the secretion of antidiuretic hormone which will increase water absorption resulting in the restoration of the ECF volume