When you workout, what is the most important thing you should carry? It is a sipper or a water bottle. What should be in your bottle-water, coconut water, a sports drink or a pinch of salt? Yes you guessed it right- when we workout, our body releases sweat & we not only lose water, but also electrolytes. Electrolytes are minerals which help deliver fluids to cells that are required for basic bodily functions right from muscle heath to brain development.
Sodium is the primary mineral lost during sweat(workout). Our body loses 1 gram per litre of sweat. According to a research sodium loss varies from 0.2 grams to 12.5 grams per litre of sweat. Besides, our body also loses chloride( in large amounts) along with potassium, magnesium & calcium although in small amounts. Electrolyte losses can hinder workout performance however main concern of fitness aspirants should be loss of sodium below normal levels referred to as hyponatremia.
Depending upon how much sodium levels go beyond normal, the impact can vary from muscle breaks & cramps to headache & even coma. Normal sodium levels vary from 135 to 145 milliequivalents per litre. More severe events occur at blood sodium level below 125 milliequivalents per litre. This is the reason why your electrolytes should be at normal/health levels during workout. Healthy level of electrolytes ensures that the body absorbs & uses what fluid it takes in for proper functioning of vital organs of the body.
Under what situation high electrolytes are beneficial for workout & growth of your body?
- You workout more than an hour: Only water is required if your workout duration does not exceed an hour. If you do a high intense workout with duration more than 60 minutes, sports drink becomes necessary. It is important to know that these sports drinks & beverages are sufficient for body builders & athletes( although considered low) since our dietary intake has much more sodium than required
- You sweat a lot: Given the same duration of workout, every person sweats differently. Athletes & those doing high intense workout, loses more sweat & sodium as compared to other teammates who do less/regular workout. If after a workout, your skin appears to be chalky or gritty or if you see a layer of white(salt) coming out of your pores, you sweat more than usual. Water is not sufficient enough to keep you hydrated during your workout. It is recommended that you add a pinch of table salt in every 8 ounces of sports drink in bottle or hydration pack
- You exercise in hot/humid weather: The more hot & humid environment the conditions in which you workout, the more likelihood that you need more electrolytes. Hot weather causes your body temperature to rise resulting in increased sweating. Besides, humidity prevents sweat from evaporating & cooling the body which leads to more sweat & accordingly your body needs more electrolytes. In such a scenario, consumption of sports drinks becomes necessary.
- Body Signals: You should give due importance to your body signals which tells you that your water &/or sodium consumption is less & you need to drink more water/sodium to stay hydrated. The body produces warning signs which tells you that you are feeling thirsty when your electrolytes drop. Remember: Consuming too much water can also spur hyponatremia, so as you increase fluid intake, you should also increase electrolyte intake.
Since sodium is the main mineral(electrolyte) lost during workout, many people resort to salt tablets when they go beyond water or sports/energy drinks. But if you’ve tried switching to salt tablets and you still aren’t feeling right during especially sweaty workouts, you might also want to consider increasing potassium intake. Some of food items you should consider to have healthy electrolytes include:
- Coconut water
- Avocados
- Sweet potatoes
- Yogurt
