Getting Enough Sodium

With the American diet becoming increasingly unhealthy, many Americans are facing serious health risks from consuming too much sodium. It is interesting to note, however, that many athletes are often faced with a much different problem: too little sodium. Because most athletes work their bodies so much and produce such large amounts of sweat, they can actually suffer from not having enough salt in their bodies. So for people to participate in intense levels of physical activity, it is important to monitor how much salt is in your body.

While only prevalent among serious endurance athletes, a condition where the body has too little sodium, called hyponatremia, can cause serious problems and health risks. Hyponatremia is caused when large amounts of sweat, filled with sodium, exits the body and is not replaced with anything that contains sodium. This can be cause by excessive sweating and only drinking water, for example. The symptoms of hyponatremia can include cramps, disorientation, nausea, and slurred speech. When these symptoms hit, many endurance athletes may think they are dehydrated and drink only water instead of a drink that contains sodium and further exacerbate the problem.

But to avoid hyponatremia endurance athletes can take a few simple precautions. If you are an athlete participating in a long endurance event, make sure to drink fluids that contain sodium, such as a sports drink. Before competing, make sure to eat foods that are high in salt. You can even go as far as to increase your salt intake a few days before your endurance event. If you can, avoid using medications such as aspirin and ibuprofen because these medications can increase your risks for low sodium. Most important is to remember to listen to what your body is telling you. Don't push yourself farther than your body can tolerate-everyone's body is different.

Alexander Sutton is the owner of a nutrition and fitness retail storefront in Salt Lake City, Utah. He has been a nutrition professional for more than 8 years. For additional information, please visit sports nutrition.