Salt, What You Need to Know as a Runner!
Sodium The Salty Dilema. You may know that you should eat no more than 6g of salt per day according to UK Dietary Requirements.
But did you know that, on average, working age adults in England consume 8.4g a day – that’s 40 per cent above the national guideline. So is this something that we really need to worry so much about as runners?
First before we go any further, we need to know how much differing levels of Salt (Sodium) looks like
Through literature, it is clear that there are no reviews that focus entirely on the effects of sodium and in particular on endurance sports. Sodium intake, both at high and low doses, has been found to be associated with health and performance issues in athletes. Besides, there have been theories that an electrolyte imbalance, specifically sodium, contributes to the development of muscle cramps and hyponatremia.
How much Sodium do I Need for Endurance Events?
Studies following football and tennis players found sodium losses ranging from 800 to 8,500 mg over two hours. Only a lab test can determine exactly how much sweat you are losing while training- but most athletes don’t have access to this.
The baseline recommendation is 500-700 mg of sodium per hour but this increases upwards of 2000 mg + if you’re unconditioned, training in heat/humidity, a heavy or “salty sweater,” or exercising for several hours at a time. Athletes who fall into these categories need to be replenishing their fluid and electrolytes consistently in the days before, during, and after exercise.
The sodium content of commercial sports drinks (~20–25 mmol-L, 460–575 mg-L) is lower than that normally lost in sweat and should also be considered a conservative target. There is a large issue with replacing sodium by just using sports drinks. Intake of sodium will increase, however you will also increase fluid which then dilutes sodium plasma concentration. The problem here is you then run the risk of developing Hyponatremia which is very serious.
For a far more in depth article on Sodium the Salty Dilema, check out Part 3 of Thomas Solomon’s articles about Hydration