Should I drink electrolytes during my cycling training?
No, almost all runners, even elite ones, do not need extra electrolytes during running. As long as you drink enough water, your hydration and sodium levels will stay balanced. Only in extreme situations—like exercise over 4 hours, extreme heat, or high sweat sodium loss—electrolytes may be needed. Focus on replenishing electrolytes after rides, not during, unless in those extreme situations.
Why should I not drink electrolytes during training?
- Water covers electrolyte needs: While you lose some potassium, chloride, calcium, and magnesium during runs, sodium is the only electrolyte lost in significant amounts. However, drinking enough water ensures most runners have sufficient electrolytes to perform well without supplements
- Adds to the excess: Most runners already consume too much sodium in their daily diet. Adding more through electrolytes during training increases the risk of health issues like high blood pressure.
How do I get my electrolytes intake on point?
Electrolytes will always be a debated topic, heavily pushed by the sports nutrition industry as an easy fix for hydration. But the reality is that most athletes don’t need extra electrolytes during exercise.
There are two specific situations where you might need extra electrolytes during exercise:
- Improving hydration: Adding sodium to drinks can enhance flavor, encouraging you to drink more, which helps prevent dehydration during running
- High sweat sodium loss and ultra-endurance: If you’re part of the small group of athletes with high sweat sodium loss, particularly during ultra-running events or long workouts (over 4 hours), you might need extra sodium to maintain balance
In these cases, it’s still important to do a sodium test first before supplementing.
Key take out is that electrolytes are primarily a recovery concern, not a performance enhancer during running. After runs, ensure your recovery meals include enough electrolytes, especially sodium, to replenish any loss. Adding a pinch of salt (Sodium Chloride ) to your food or using sodium-rich products is often all you need to recover. Supplements are only necessary in extreme conditions, and only after sodium test confirms a true deficiency.
It's crucial to tailor your hydration to your i ndividual needs, activity level, and preferences for the best results. Do you want to discover how hydration during training works in practice? The FoodCoach App will guide you to bring focus and translate your hydration recommendations into real food and meals.
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Definitions
- - Electrolytes: Minerals, such as sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and chloride, that regulate hydration, muscle function, and nerve signals
- - Sodium: The primary electrolyte lost through sweat. It helps maintain fluid balance and muscle function
- - High sweat sodium loss: In extreme cases, like exercising for more than 4 hours, when you replace more than 70% of your sweat losses, there’s a risk of low sodium levels (hyponatremia). If your sweat contains above-average sodium concentrations (over 1g/L), a sweat sodium test may show that targeted electrolyte replacement is needed
- - Sodium Chloride: Common table salt, composed of sodium and chloride, and a major source of dietary sodium
- - Sodium Test: A method used to measure the sodium concentration in sweat to assess if targeted supplementation is needed
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