Electrolytes

You lose 250 mg of sodium in every Liter of perspiration. See my web site www.DrClydeWilson.com downloads page for performance nutrition guidelines including detailed instructions on how to figure out how much perspiration you are losing. If you lose more than 2 lb during a workout you are perspiring more than 1 Liter during the workout and should consider adding a bit of salt to your next meal so that your body can regain its normal fluid balance. If you are eating out at any point in the day you are probably getting MORE than enough salt. Less than 1 Liter perspiration is less of an issue and the associated salt losses can be made up with regular healthy eating since foods naturally contain enough salt for an active life style. The problem is when training is intensive on a regular basis and an athlete does not make up for larger salt losses. The result is chronic dehydration no matter how much water they drink since the body can not retain the fluids they drink (the body is too low on salt). The result is poor recovery (i.e. being in the overtrained state) and poor sleep quality (difficulty falling asleep after your first 4-hour REM cycle, just laying there wondering why you can't sleep well night after night no matter how tired you are).