Fueling Endurance - Nutrition for Runners, Cyclists & Triathletes Episode 47A - How much sodium do I need to replace during exercise? | Dr Alan McCubbin
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Oct 6, 2022 AI Snips
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Alan's Sodium Research Origins
- Alan McEwen got interested in sodium and endurance athletes around 2010 during Ironman events in Melbourne.
- His curiosity grew from making nutrition plans involving sodium but finding no solid guidelines on how much to replace during exercise.
Sodium's Role in Body Fluids
- Sodium is a positively charged mineral dissolved mainly in extracellular fluid, influencing body water balance.
- About half our body sodium is extracellular, regulated by cell membranes that pump sodium out and potassium in.
Sodium, Osmolality, and Hydration
- During exercise, blood sodium concentration rises because we lose more water than sodium in sweat.
- This triggers thirst and kidney water conservation to maintain hydration and blood osmolality.