My dad used to keep salt tablets for hot summer days. It looks as though salt by itself is not good. However, in combination with a few other things
https://www.hammernutrition.com/kno...ent-why-its-important-and-how-to-do-it-right/
ELECTROLYTES EXPLAINED
Electrolytes are chemicals that form ions in body fluids. They help make sure specific bodily functions run at optimal levels. Too few electrolytes will cause the body to cramp. As serious athletes know, cramping can make a big difference on race day. So how do we prevent cramping and keep our body running at its peak performance levels? We keep it supplied with the needed amount of electrolytes.
Proper fueling during exercise requires more than replenishing calories and fluids; it involves consistent and adequate electrolyte support as well. Electrolyte needs vary much more than either caloric or hydration needs, so you will have to experiment quite a bit in training until you have this aspect of your fueling tailored to your specific requirements under various conditions.
Electrolytes are analogous to the motor oil in your car—they don’t make the engine run, but they’re absolutely necessary to keep everything running smoothly. Proper functioning of the digestive, nervous, cardiac, and muscular systems depends on adequate electrolyte levels.
Muscle cramping, though there are many theories as to why it happens, usually involves improper hydration and/or improper electrolyte replenishment. No one wants to cramp, of course, but remember, cramping is a place far down the road of electrolyte depletion. Cramping is your body’s painful way of saying, “Hey! I’m on empty! Resupply me now or I’m going to stop!” It’s like the oil light on the dash; you never want it to get that low.
That’s precisely why you shouldn't wait for cramps to remind you to take electrolytes. Just as you shouldn’t wait until you bonk before you refuel, or you’re dehydrated before you replenish fluids, your regime should always include these essentials... (leaving out advertisement)
WHAT ARE ELECTROLYTES? WHY DO I NEED THEM?
Electrolytes are chemicals that form electrically charged particles (ions) in body fluids. These ions carry the electrical energy necessary for many functions, including muscle contractions and transmission of nerve impulses. Many bodily functions depend on electrolytes. Optimal performance requires a consistent and adequate supply of these important nutrients.
Many athletes neglect consistent electrolyte replenishment because they've never had cramping problems. Even if you've been fortunate enough to have never suffered the painful, debilitating effects of cramping, you still need to provide your body with a consistent and adequate supply of electrolytes. Why? Because the goal in replenishing electrolytes is not so much to prevent cramping, but to maintain specific bodily functions at optimal levels. Cramping is your body's way of letting you know that, in terms of electrolytes, it's on empty. When you've reached that point, your performance has been severely compromised for some time. Remember, you want your body to perform smoothly, without interruption or compromise. Just as you shouldn't wait until you're dehydrated or bonking before you replenish fluids or calories, you never want to wait until you're cramping before replenishing electrolytes. Consistent replenishment of electrolytes is just as important as the fuel you consume and the water you drink during exercise.
CAN'T I JUST USE SALT TABLETS?
Salt tablets are an unacceptable choice for electrolyte replenishment for two reasons:
- They provide only two of the electrolytes your body requires - sodium and chloride.
- They can oversupply sodium, thereby overwhelming the body’s complex mechanism for regulating sodium.
Each of these issues is important, and we’ll discuss both of them. Right now, let’s focus primarily on the second one.
Far too many athletes have suffered needlessly with swollen hands and feet from water retention due to ingestion of salt tablets or electrolyte products that were too high in sodium during prolonged exercise in the heat. The body has very effective mechanisms to regulate and recirculate sodium from body stores. Excess sodium consumption interferes with or neutralizes these complex mechanisms. Sweat generates large sodium losses, which is monitored closely through hormonal receptors throughout the body. However, rapid sodium replacement neutralizes the system, allowing water intake to dilute the sodium content. High-sodium electrolyte supplementation compromises the natural physiological control of serum electrolytes. Once the body detects an increase in sodium from exogenous sources (food, salt tablets, or products too high in sodium), the hormone aldosterone signals the kidneys to stop filtering and recirculating sodium. Instead, the kidneys will excrete sodium and another hormone, vasopressin, will redominate and cause fluid retention. While ingesting large amounts of sodium may temporarily resolve a sodium deficiency, doing so substantially increases the risk of a number of other problems, including increased fluid storage in the form of swelling (edema) in the extremities. Consequences also include elevated blood pressure and an increased rate of sodium excretion. All of these inhibit performance. If you've ever finished a workout or race with swollen hands, wrists, feet, or ankles, or if you have experienced puffiness under your eyes and around your cheeks, chances are your sodium/salt intake was too high.
The truth is that the human body needs only a minute amount of sodium to function normally. We require a mere 500 mg of sodium each day, athletes maybe 2,000 mg. This is easily supplied by natural, unprocessed foods. However, the average American consumes approximately 6,000-8,000 mg per day, well above the upper end of the recommended dose of 2,300 - 2,400 mg/day.* (See asterik on page 44) The average athlete stores at least 8,000 mg of dietary sodium in tissues and has these stores available during exercise. In other words, you already have a vast reservoir of sodium available in your body from your diet, ready to serve you during exercise. In addition, your body has a highly complex and efficient way of monitoring and recirculating sodium back into the blood, which it does to maintain homeostasis. You do need to replenish sodium during exercise, but you must do so with amounts that cooperate with, and do not override, these complex body mechanisms.
*In 2009, data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provided additional scientific evidence that the majority of Americans over the age of twenty should limit the amount of sodium (salt) they consume daily to 1,500 milligrams (mg) to prevent and reduce high blood pressure.
THE HEALTH CONSEQUENCES OF HIGH SODIUM
Not only are high-sodium diets bad for your health, but those who consume large amounts of sodium in their diet are guaranteed greater sodium loss rates and will require greater sodium intakes during exercise. Sodium, as you probably know, drives thirst, and thirst drives drinking until excess results is definitely not a performance-enhancing scenario.
