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During endurance sports, we primarily lose salt through our sweat. To maintain our performance, it's necessary to replenish this loss. Additionally, potassium, magnesium, and calcium have been added because they are known to contribute to normal muscle function. In the context of endurance sports, we require slightly more of each of these elements than under normal circumstances.

Sodium, a vital mineral, plays a crucial role in our bodies, especially in sports. Here, you'll learn why sodium is of paramount importance for your athletic performance and how you can make optimal use of it.

Why do we need sodium?

Sodium supports various physiological processes:

1. Fluid Regulation: Sodium is a major component of extracellular fluids such as blood and tissue fluid. It helps maintain the proper fluid balance in the body by influencing osmotic pressure. This pressure regulates the distribution of fluids between cells and tissues. When you sweat, you lose not only water but also sodium, altering osmotic pressure and disrupting fluid distribution.
2. Nerve Impulses and Muscle Contraction: Sodium plays a key role in generating nerve impulses and muscle contractions. Sodium channels in cell membranes are responsible for generating and transmitting electrical signals in nerve and muscle cells. Insufficient sodium can disturb nerve impulses and muscle contractions, affecting your athletic performance.
3. Maintenance of Membrane Potential: Membrane potential is an electrical charge difference between the inner and outer sides of a cell. Sodium is a major factor in maintaining this potential and contributes to cell excitability. This is particularly important for quick reflexes and muscle movements in sports.
4. Nutrient Uptake: Sodium is essential for the uptake of glucose and other nutrients into cells. It plays a key role in transporting these nutrients through cell membranes, supporting energy supply for your muscles.
5. pH Regulation: Sodium interacts with other ions like hydrogen (H+) and bicarbonate (HCO3-) and helps regulate the pH in the blood and tissues. This is important to prevent an acidic state in the body, which can promote muscle fatigue during exercise.

How much sodium do we need?

Sodium requirements vary from person to person and depend on factors such as sweat rate and sodium loss. To determine your individual needs, you can measure your sweat and sodium loss during exercise.

Sweat Loss and Sodium Loss

Sweat loss and sodium loss can vary significantly:

• Sweat loss averages around 0.8 liters per hour but can vary widely depending on activity and weather conditions, ranging from 0.4 l/h to 1.8 l/h. You can measure your sweat loss by weighing yourself before and after exercise. Just step on the scales without clothes. The difference mostly corresponds to lost water.
• Sodium loss is also individual and varies from approximately 200 mg/l to 2000 mg/l in sweat. A simple indication of high sodium loss is the presence of salt stains on your clothing after exercise.

Symptoms of Sodium Deficiency in Sports

Hyponatremia is a dangerous condition that can occur if you drink too much water without sufficient sodium intake. Symptoms include nausea, lethargy, muscle cramps, weakness, headaches, and restlessness. Studies show that supplementing sodium in the form of electrolyte drinks can help regulate blood sodium levels, especially during very long activities. Unfortunately, dehydration has similar symptoms and is also dangerous. There's no easy solution, but if you're vigilant, everything should work out.

Conclusion:

In the world of sports, sodium is an essential player for your performance. Don't just drink when you're thirsty