Thermotabs "salt" content?

Triathlon Forum
1

I can’t figure out how to read the label of the Thermotabs bottle I have, as I’m trying to establish sodium sources for my upcoming IM. The bottle says it has:

Chloride (as sodium and potassium chloride) 287mg
Sodium (as sodium chloride) 180mg
Potassium (as potassium chloride) 15 mg

Then in a note below it says “Note: Each tablet contains 452 mg sodium chloride”

None of these numbers add up and I can’t figure out whether, for purposes of achieving sodium intake goals, I use the 180 mg figure, or the 452mg figure. I’m thinking it is just the 180mg figure, but if I assume that and in fact the number is really 452mg, then I could be overdoing it.

I note that Salt Stick, which has 215 mg of “sodium” does a comparison with other brands out there and they only compare the 180mg sodium content of Thermotabs with their product (as though the Chloride figure (as sodium and potassium chloride) of 287 mg is meaningless from a salt intake standpoint).

Help anyone?

2

Sodium is not the same as sodium chloride. Sodium(Na) has a molecular weight of 22.990, sodium chloride(table salt, NaCl) has a molecular weight 58.443. Na is 39.33% of NaCl by weight, and 180mg is 39.8% of 452mg, so their math is right.

The 180mg is the relevant number here, as chlorine doesn’t really do anything to keep you properly hydrated.