Do you need salt pills to stay hydrated during long races in the heat?
Is Sodium Supplementation Necessary to Avoid Dehydration During Prolonged Exercise in the Heat?
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Runners who avoided sodium entirely had more appropriate hydration levels despite greater weight loss.
Most athletes and coaches believe weight loss during exercise indicates dehydration and risk, but here, it was linked to healthier hydration.
Practical Takeaways
You may not need salt pills during long races—drinking to thirst with water might be enough.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Runners who avoided sodium entirely had more appropriate hydration levels despite greater weight loss.
Most athletes and coaches believe weight loss during exercise indicates dehydration and risk, but here, it was linked to healthier hydration.
Practical Takeaways
You may not need salt pills during long races—drinking to thirst with water might be enough.
Publication
Journal
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
Year
2016
Authors
M. Hoffman, K. Stuempfle
Related Content
Claims (5)
Taking electrolytes like sodium helps you perform better and stay safer during long workouts—like marathons or cycling races—that last over four hours, especially when it's hot outside.
Ultramarathon runners who drank only when thirsty and skipped salt pills during a long, hot race lost about 3.4% of their body weight — and experts say that’s still a safe level of hydration.
Ultramarathon runners who take sodium supplements during long races in extreme heat keep more of their body weight, but those who skip the supplements might actually stay better hydrated, according to the researchers.
Endurance runners in a super long, hot race who took sodium supplements every part of the way lost less body weight during the race than those who didn’t take any.
Ultramarathon runners who took more sodium during a super long, super hot race tended to lose less body weight — the more sodium they took, the less weight they lost.