Electrolyte and Sodium Comparison Chart

Sheila Leard

This is a handy chart to map out just how to take in your sodium and electrolytes.

 SaltStick published this. When choosing an electrolyte product decide if you want it all in your drink, a capsule, licking your finger, or a combination. Be sure to get adequate Potassium and Magnesium along with Sodium in your plan. Athletes lose a lot of potassium and magnesium in sweat. Be sure it's in your diet when training hard. Potassium foods - avocado, potatoes, spinach, melons, bananas. Magnesium foods - avocado, greens, cashews, seeds.

Tom Glynn

Numbers seem all over the board!  Is there an acceptable range based on perceived sweat loss?  Are they linked, so do you need one to absorb another, for instance?

I think some of this was discussed in the Core Diet Webinars.  I can dig up talking points if needed.

Scott Imlay

@Sheila Leard, Nuun hydration and one other (Osmo?) advertise that they use sodium citrate and potassium citrate for the sodium and potassium, and claim it is absorbed better than the standard salts (sodium chloride and potassium chloride) used in most electrolyte drinks. 

I'm interested in the citrate version of the electrolytes for a slightly different reason. In the past I have taken potassium citrate supplements to prevent kidney stones (it's the citrate that helps, according to my nephrologist) so I've been using Nuun hydration. Any thoughts on this? Do you know if other electrolyte supplements use sodium citrate and potassium citrate?

Sheila Leard

Scott - that's correct. Citrate is easier on the gut and it can act as a buffer. For athletes that need a higher intake intake of sodium it would be wise to go with the citrate form.

@Tom Glynn I'm not aware of any exact proportions of Potassium to Sodium, I just know potassium needs to be in the mix for proper muscle contraction. 

Trish Marshall

Scott Imlay said:

@Sheila Leard, Nuun hydration and one other (Osmo?) advertise that they use sodium citrate and potassium citrate for the sodium and potassium, and claim it is absorbed better than the standard salts (sodium chloride and potassium chloride) used in most electrolyte drinks. 

I'm interested in the citrate version of the electrolytes for a slightly different reason. In the past I have taken potassium citrate supplements to prevent kidney stones (it's the citrate that helps, according to my nephrologist) so I've been using Nuun hydration. Any thoughts on this? Do you know if other electrolyte supplements use sodium citrate and potassium citrate?

Scott, NBS hydration (a team sponsor) uses citrate forms for the sodium, magnesium and potassium in their hydration drink. It is similar to OSMO and Scratch as it is lower calorie vs gatorade.  96 calories for a 24 oz serving.  They also make male and female versions.  

Trish Marshall

great chart @Sheila Leard!  Thank you for sharing as always!

Scott Imlay

Thanks @Sheila Leard and @Trish Marshall. Great information. Trish, I'll check out the NBS hydration.

Sheila Leard

I drank NBS on my long ride today. Good stuff. And the owner is super cool. Small company trying to grow. 

Katherine Chabot-Boucher

Thanks for the chart is a very helpful reference for a newbie.

Shaughn Simmons

Do a sweat trial to dial in requirements. Key is to weigh yourself right before you get on the bike.  I try to simulate temps and humidity of race conditions as much as possible.  I drink as much as I need to during the test. Once I am finished, I weigh myself immediately and take the difference of my beginning weight less my ending weight.  

For simplicity purposes, let's say I lost 2 lbs during the 1 hour test.  1 gallon of liquid weighs ~ 8 lbs and is 128 ounces.

I lost 32 ounces plus the 12 ounces I drank or 44 ounces in this example.  Let's assume I performed the test at 80 degrees and 60% humidity.

Now I know I need to drink about 2, 24 ounce bottles/hour (48 oz) under similar conditions and add to that if I am racing at 85 degrees and 70% humidity.

The amount of sodium in sweat averages about 500 mg sodium/lb sweat (and ranges from 220 to 1,100 mg) If you lose two pounds of sweat per hour for four hours of intense swimming, biking, running, etc., your sodium losses become significant (4,000 mg)

For a long course IM under extreme conditions given a high sweat rate as validated by the sweat test, Gatorade Endurance alone is not going to be enough sodium and you may be required to supplement with salt tabs.

When supplementing with heavy quantities of salt tabs be sure to use "Buffered salt tabs" like Salt Stick Brand.  Tabs that are not buffered when taken in large amounts can cause bad stomach issues.

SS

Gordon Cherwoniak

@Tom Glynn From the core diet 2017 webinar list sodium content of sweat is between 450-600mg per 16oz.  So they list needs between 600-1800mg per hour.  EN nutrition wiki list 1000mg per hour is a good place to start but it's so individual as Shaughn mentions the sweat test is the way to go.  

Sodium is typically the electrolyte needed by athletes with potassium being needed on rare occasions.  I don't know that your need one to absorb the other.  Salt stick caps for example, claims that this is the typical breakdown sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium from sweat.  They also have 100IU of vitamin D to absorb and utilize calcium.  I'd have to go digging for some research to see what's out there.

http://saltstick.com/product/saltstick-caps/

Eric Ensminger

I will start with I need to update my sweat test (Sunday plan).

The heat is on in Wisconsin, and my summer cramps are back.   They generally show up 3 places (run on Ironman day, quads seize at mile 16, any afternoon/evening pool set without nuun and evenings after a hot sweaty workout day).  I have primary used endurolytes with some extreme endurolytes and base salt.  I have tried Hot Shot at Boston Marathon with success (way to expensive for regular use).  I keep seeing pickle juice as an alternative. 

What has worked for you in eliminating a previous known situation cramps.