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Katie Ledecky reveals why she finally came clean about life-changing POTS syndrome 10 YEARS after diagnosis
Katie Ledecky continued her dominance in the pool at the Paris Olympics - taking home four medals, including two golds, adding to her collection of 14 medals.
But this was also the first time that the Washington, DC native took to the pool after revealing in her book 'Just Add Water: My Swimming Life' about a disease she struggles with regularly.
In that book, Ledecky says she has been dealing with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) - a disorder where a reduced volume of blood returns to your heart after you stand up from sitting or lying down. That can lead to lightheadedness or fainting.
Ledecky first discovered that she had the disorder, which more than 200,000 cases per year in the United States, back in 2015 after feeling 'extremely hot and lightheaded' at a team dinner.
Speaking exclusively to Women's Health, Ledecky explained why she didn't reveal anything about her battle with this condition for nearly ten years.
Katie Ledecky explained why she took ten years to reveal her POTS diagnosis
Katie Ledecky reacts after winning a gold medal in the women's 800m freestyle in Paris
Ledecky's symptoms have been 'mild' since she determined the required levels of electrolytes, protein, sleep and other nutrients that she needs to combat the disorder.
She says that she 'hasn't had any issues' since she was first diagnosed.
'When I first received the diagnosis, I was very focused on the numbers—how much I was hydrating and what I was fueling my body with,' she says.
'But now I kind of have all these years of experience that I know how much I need to hydrate, how much protein I need after racing, how much sleep I'm getting.'
'I'm very aware of my body,' she adds. 'I'm pretty good at listening to my body.'
Every Olympics cycle, Ledecky says she learns more about her body in order to improve - which includes learning how to 'adapt and get through tough days'.
'If I need to take it a little easier on a certain day, that's not the end of the world,' she said.
'I'm pretty tough on myself, but you have to respond to your body—respond to how you're feeling. Just being patient with myself.'
Katie Ledecky as one of the flag bearers for the closing ceremony at the Paris Olympics
After the Summer Games, Ledecky has committed to taking a well-deserved 'reset' by hanging out with family and friends in suburban DC.
Then, she'll return to the University of Florida where she'll train as she hopes to take part in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
That'll mark the fifth Olympics she's been a part of ever since making her debut at the London games of 2012.
'I'll be ready to give it my all again,' she says.