Salt and Water in Long Sports
Effects of Sodium Intake on Health and Performance in Endurance and Ultra-Endurance Sports
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
When people do long sports like marathons, they need to drink water and take some salt, but too much water can make their blood too diluted, causing a dangerous condition called hyponatremia. Salt helps keep fluids balanced, but won’t fix the problem if someone drinks too much water. Cramps aren’t proven to be from low salt—they’re more likely from tired muscles.
Surprising Findings
Low salt intake may increase cardiovascular risk — not reduce it.
Public health messaging has long pushed for lower sodium to reduce blood pressure, but this review shows that going below 3 g/day may backfire, raising stress hormones and diastolic pressure.
Practical Takeaways
During endurance events longer than 2 hours, aim for 300–600 mg of sodium per hour and drink to thirst — not a fixed schedule.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
When people do long sports like marathons, they need to drink water and take some salt, but too much water can make their blood too diluted, causing a dangerous condition called hyponatremia. Salt helps keep fluids balanced, but won’t fix the problem if someone drinks too much water. Cramps aren’t proven to be from low salt—they’re more likely from tired muscles.
Surprising Findings
Low salt intake may increase cardiovascular risk — not reduce it.
Public health messaging has long pushed for lower sodium to reduce blood pressure, but this review shows that going below 3 g/day may backfire, raising stress hormones and diastolic pressure.
Practical Takeaways
During endurance events longer than 2 hours, aim for 300–600 mg of sodium per hour and drink to thirst — not a fixed schedule.
Publication
Journal
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Year
2022
Authors
Eleftherios Veniamakis, Georgios Kaplanis, Panagiotis Voulgaris, P. Nikolaidis