After reading the silly thread on backyard IV’s it made me wonder about salt loss. After a 6-8 hour bike ride I tend to have my share of salt deposits on my skin. I fell fine after the workout and the dogs just love me! I drink gatorade Endurance, plenty of fluids, and endurolyte capsules. My question is: Is the salt on my skin a sign that I need more salt intake or perhaps that I am taking too much in? Until reading a post in the earlier thread it never occured to me that perhaps it was coming from taking too much in during the workout (Endurolytes plus Gatorade Endurance). Like I said, the rides go well and I also feel fine afterwards.
Brian, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. As long as you are performing then I would not change a thing and it sounds like you are performing well. I would not base my nutritional descisions on what others do. It sounds like you have a good handle on it.
The tell tale signs that you are not taking in enough salt…from what I have been told, is that your clothes are not only coated in white chalk but also you feel a little chilled when its 80 and sunny. The biggest one and most easily to recognize is cramping in the legs. If you are not experiencing the second two symptoms you are probably okay. However the first time I realized I needed more salt was during a T-run after a six hours ride, which i felt fine during. About twenty minutes into the run I stopped to adjust my shoe and when I bent down my hamstring locked up, when I tried to stretch it my quads locked up.