I know that we lose a significant amount of salt through sweat on our workouts and was wondering if anyone has any knowledge on the subject and how much to replenish our bodies with. So much negative press about salt in one’s diet but I would think that we as athletes would have to increase our intake to make up for the loss due to our workouts. How much is too much and what is recommended? Read somewhere that an average daily intake should be no more than 2300mg but that is probably a sedentary individual and not someone losing salt through perspiration.
You’re talking daily intake and not intake during actual training/racing correct?
I just got with a nutritionist due to cramping issues all season and while racing I need over 900mg of sodium per hour while racing.
Yes daily intake after a hard day of training.
Simple, if you crave salt with meals, shake it on, Races, S-caps or desired substitute.
There are a lot of threads and as many opinions on the subject of sodium during exercise etc. I’m sure a bunch of folks will chime in soon … in the meantime a forum search will give you a lot to read.
FWIW at 180 lbs, 6’1" living in Hawaii, I need a minimum of 400 mg per hour during an extended race (1/2 marathon or better for runs).
IMO electrolyte intake during a race is a waste of time for the majority of people.
IMO electrolyte intake during a race is a waste of time for the majority of people.
laf, yeah that’s why I said there are a lot of opinions on Sodium (etc) around here. I’m sure he’ll get more info than he was bargaining for soon. 
IMO you are either of very small stature, only race sprints/olympic distance and don’t consider anything else, have never raced in a warm climate or possibly just not very bright or experienced if you truly believe that.
It’s a completely individual thing. It depends on such varied factors as race length, race speed, sweat rate, heat/humidity, body size, physical condition, etc. In terms of daily requirements the same principle applies. Try various intake levels and see what creates the best performance for you.
IMO you are either of very small stature, only race sprints/olympic distance and don’t consider anything else, have never raced in a warm climate or possibly just not very bright or experienced if you truly believe that.
It’s a completely individual thing. It depends on such varied factors as race length, race speed, sweat rate, heat/humidity, body size, physical condition, etc. In terms of daily requirements the same principle applies. Try various intake levels and see what creates the best performance for you.
I’ve done a 100 mile race that was above 90 degrees and Vineman in Cali in the summer. No electrolyte supplementation, no problems. In regards to cramping (which is what most discussion on electrolytes regards) there are so many other reasons for the cramps rather than the marketing that the supplement companies tell you.
I would agree that it’s individual.
With that said two summers ago all I drank on the bike and run was Carbo Pro with Koolaid for flavor. No electrolytes in the drink but I did eat a few gels.
Trained and raced in a lot of 90 deg weather for long course with no problems.
jaretj
This thread should be called “Potassium Intake?” which is far more important.
The best form of electrolyte replenishment is a coconut water with a pinch of sea salt.
IMO electrolyte intake during a race is a waste of time for the majority of people.
I’ll agree with this. After the fact it’s essential, but during, maybe a coconut water.
I just got with a nutritionist due to cramping issues all season and while racing I need over 900mg of sodium per hour while racing.
I hope you didn’t pay him much 
But is it harmful to being taking that much sodium in? Not sure of the connection between potassium and sodium in an earlier comment.
I think debating it is pointless. If you cramp a lot, try salt. If it helps keep using it. If not skip it.
I would say you are in the vast, vast minority if you train for and race long course with no electrolyte supplementation. Nearly everyone else is supplementing either with electrolyte tablets of some sort or by drinking sports drinks (e.g., the Gatorade or Perform provided at aid stations). Unless a person sweats very little (or has very little sodium in his/her sweat), it would be very difficult to simultaneously avoid both dehydration and hyponatremia without taking in at least some electrolytes over the course of a hard effort in the heat over 140.6 miles.
To the OP, the answer is yes – you need to replace the sodium you lose while training so your total sodium intake (adding together any sodium intake while training plus sodium in your diet while not training) should exceed the amount you would need if you were sedentary by the amount of sodium you lose through sweating. This is not very practical advice because there is no simple way to measure sodium lost through sweat. If you want, you can estimate it by taking the published amounts (e.g., Wikipedia says “Sodium concentration in sweat is 30-65 mmol/l, depending on the degree of acclimatisation.”) and guess the concentration for you, figure out the amount you sweat during exercise (your weight before exercise + weight of fluid intake during exercise - your weight after exercise), convert everything to the right units and multiply sweat volume by sodium concentration and that would give you an approximate amount of sodium loss in exercise. I am still not sure that is very practical – maybe more practical is the post that suggested to add salt if you are craving salt.
IMO you are either of very small stature, only race sprints/olympic distance and don’t consider anything else, have never raced in a warm climate or possibly just not very bright or experienced if you truly believe that.
It’s a completely individual thing. It depends on such varied factors as race length, race speed, sweat rate, heat/humidity, body size, physical condition, etc. In terms of daily requirements the same principle applies. Try various intake levels and see what creates the best performance for you.
I’ve done a 100 mile race that was above 90 degrees and Vineman in Cali in the summer. No electrolyte supplementation, no problems. In regards to cramping (which is what most discussion on electrolytes regards) there are so many other reasons for the cramps rather than the marketing that the supplement companies tell you.
I know that we lose a significant amount of salt through sweat on our workouts
Some facts first:
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There is a range that people sweat - some more some less
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There is also a range of salt loss through sweat - some more some less
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It’s a mistake to assume that because you are sweat a lot, and that you are a heavy sweater, that you lose a lot of salt - you can be a heavy sweater and have a low salt loss rate( my wife is like this), and of course the opposite can be true!
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Beyond the above, there is a very loose and remote connection between salt lose and cramping.
So despite all of that, it seems everyone is advised to pop salt pills like candy in long endurance events! Why?
But is it harmful to being taking that much sodium in? Not sure of the connection between potassium and sodium in an earlier comment.
More salt does not equal better. Your body cares little about the amount of salt you have, but the concentration is what is important. If you take a huge amount of salt in you have to compensate for that by filtering it out and/or drinking an excessive amount of water to lower the concentration. You sweat out more water than you do electrolytes. So if you do not supplement with any (or just a small amount) but drink an adequate amount of water your concentration should remain fairly in balance.
I take very little electrolytes in when train and race. I get a very small amount from some of the Clif Shots and Bloks I take or from the Gatorade at aid stations along the way. However, I have never purposely supplemented and make a point to choose my own nutrition plan that does not contain pills or powders with massive amounts of electrolytes.