As I start my own adventure into the world of running, I’ve learned a lot about what’s important to the art of a successful run, which means you guys have been getting a lot of blog posts regarding running. Today is no different!
Recently during a run, I was overcome with a cramp in my abdominal that forced me to stop and take a break. Within five minutes the cramp was gone and I could go back to my normal running, but it seemed odd to me that this happened. I figured I must not have hydrated enough before my run, so before my next race, I tried to hydrate even more. However, by halfway through my race, I still felt the same sort of cramp in my abdominal. It turned out to be just fine and I was able to finish my race after a few minutes of walking, but I was curious as to why I was having the issues.
I consulted a runner friend of mine and she said it was possible that I needed more salt in my system. So that’s what I’ve been researching lately and what we’re going to jump into this week.
Sweat makes you lose more than water
When we sweat we are all well aware that we’re losing water from our body. That’s why it’s so important to replenish with water after prolonged episodes of sweating. However, our body doesn’t just lose water when we sweat.
Sodium is also lost when you sweat.
The amount of sodium we lose when we sweat is dependent on many factors including temperatures, length of exercise, and hydration. It’s estimated that in about 1 quart (or ½ pound of body weight) of sweat, around 1,000 mg of sodium can be lost on a normal day with a normal workout. Of course, that number doesn’t go for everyone and it may vary for each runner.
However, as you can see, we lose a lot of sodium when we sweat.
Why is Sodium important?
Sodium is actually a very important mineral in the body. As it is found in the blood stream and in the fluid surrounding cells, sodium helps to maintain a proper fluid level in the body. It makes sure the cells are not too full of fluid or too deprived of fluids. This keeps our bodies in balance and keep us from getting dehydrated or incredibly sick.
Sodium also helps muscles and nerves to function correctly. In fact, sodium, along with potassium, plays an essential role in muscle contraction. Sodium and potassium help your nerve cells send action potential signals which allow for you muscle to contract. Without sufficient amounts of these minerals your nerves will not properly communicate with your muscle fibers.
What happens when you don’t have enough sodium?
Low sodium levels can cause muscle cramps, dizziness, vomiting, and nausea. It can later lead to problems with complications including serious illness and death.
When you work out often, you may notice that you easily cramp despite being well hydrated. You may also notice white crust along your clothing lines or on your skin. This crust is actually the sodium you are sweating out of your body.
So how much sodium do you actually need?
The ideal diet suggests that salt intake be around 1500 mg a day and definitely not exceeding 2,300 mg a day. Whenever you sweat, you should be accounting for the amount of sodium that may be being lost and act accordingly.
Although you shouldn’t reach immediately for a bag of chips after your run, keep in mind that you may be able to eat a healthy after work out snack that contains a little more sodium in it.
Where to find sodium as a runner
It was suggest to me that I look into salt tablets as an option for before a run, which you can buy at the pharmacy. However, after looking into some of the running websites, it seemed like they were something specifically geared towards people running A LOT more than I was running. And although it’s definitely an option if you are sweating a lot and need to replace a lot of sodium, I looked into a different option for myself.
Instead, I found my extra sodium boost in electrolyte boosted sport drinks. These drinks contain more sodium and will help you replace what you have lost.
I stalked up the day before, mixing the 32 oz. sport drink with probably somewhere around 60 oz. of water and drank that throughout the day and the next morning, the morning of my run. This seemed to help me with my cramping a lot and I was able to get through my run much easier.
Sodium is always something to be thinking about what you are a runner and are losing sweat. Remember, the most important thing to do when working out is to listen to your body. You’d be surprised what you can learn.
What do you do to maintain salt levels when you exercise? Let me know in the comments below.
Until next time,
Kat
Some sites to read more about Sodium and running:
Pass the Salt? http://www.runnersworld.com/nutrition/pass-the-salt
How much Salt Do Runners Really Need? http://www.runnersworld.com/nutrition/how-much-salt-do-runners-really-need
What’s the Deal with Salt Supplementation? http://womensrunning.competitor.com/2015/06/nutrition/whats-the-deal-with-salt-supplementation_42775#iR5o7wgOBohK305G.97
How much Sodium is Lost During Exercise? http://www.livestrong.com/article/445772-how-much-sodium-is-lost-during-exercise/
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