The 5 Greatest Salt Tablets for Runners | How A lot Salt to Add to Water for Hydration

When you have learn sufficient of our weblog posts, it’s doubtless you’re conscious that plain water shouldn’t be the “end-all be-all” in terms of hydration. Electrolytes are additionally key to keep away from dehydration whereas operating.

Electrolytes are the inspiration of a lot of the important features of our our bodies, particularly in individuals which can be bodily energetic! With out electrolytes, we wouldn’t be capable of do issues like preserve correct hydration, contract our muscle tissues, enable vitamins into and waste out of our cells, or preserve an excellent acid/base steadiness.[1]

Now, for more information on electrolytes and the very best electrolyte water manufacturers, I’m going to direct you over to our current article that talks all concerning the 17 Greatest Electrolyte Water Manufacturers.

However first, please nonetheless stick round to study extra about salt/sodium particularly and every little thing it’s essential learn about salt tablets for runners! On this article, you’ll be able to look forward to finding information like: the very best salt for hydration, how a lot salt so as to add to water for hydration, Himalayan salt for runners, if salt hydrates you, and what number of salt tablets you want throughout a marathon.

So c’mon – within the spirit of sodium, seize your favourite salty snack, and lets get to speaking about salt!!

Table of Contents

What’s Salt?

We all know that salt is scrumptious and an awesome addition to meals/snacks (or not less than I feel so), however what IS salt?

Salt is made up of two minerals: ~40% sodium and ~60% chloride. Sodium and chloride are each electrolytes as properly, and salt usually serves as the principle supply of these electrolytes within the physique.[2]

Between sodium and chloride, they’re liable for issues like nerve and muscle operate, blood strain and pH upkeep, abdomen acid manufacturing, management of vitamins coming out and in of the cells and regulation of water and fluid steadiness.[2, 3, 4]

As you’ll be able to think about, it’s fairly essential for us to get sufficient salt in our food plan to maintain our our bodies functioning. Nevertheless, an excessive amount of salt threat will also be a well being threat as extreme sodium consumption can result in hypertension and points together with your coronary heart and kidneys![2]

Significance of Sodium for Athletes

Within the part above, we touched on why sodium is necessary within the physique usually, however it’s much more necessary for energetic people! Why? As a result of sweat is a main supply of salt loss! Have you ever ever completed a exercise and felt a gritty texture or seen a white sheen in your pores and skin? That’s salt!!

Too little sodium also can influence your athletic efficiency. Sodium helps preserve your electrolyte (blood salt) concentrations which helps preserve the blood flowing and ideally suited strain in your veins and arteries. On prime of that, sodium helps stimulate thirst and reduces urine manufacturing, finally decreasing fatigue, muscle cramps, and the chance of different kinds of medical issues that could be related to endurance sports activities, akin to operating.[5]

Due to this, there are numerous salt tablets for runners to assist them get sufficient sodium in earlier than a long term.

However now, are you questioning, what’s the greatest salt for hydration?

What’s the Greatest Salt for Hydration?

There are literally fairly a number of sorts of salt on the market. The salt you’ll usually discover at eating places or in your pantry is nice ol’ sodium chloride, or “desk salt”, that we talked about earlier.

That is the commonest type of sodium within the food plan and can be doubtless what you’ll discover in salt tablets, however are there higher choices on the market? To be trustworthy – sure.

In regard to how desk salt features within the physique, it helps with water and fluid steadiness, however it’s usually extremely processed, that means it has been stripped of naturally-occurring minerals and infrequently accommodates quite a lot of chemical substances.

Due to this, we regularly suggest a extra pure salt that isn’t practically as processed and nonetheless accommodates essential minerals important for attaining and sustaining optimum well being.

Our Favourite Salt

Redmonds Real Salt- best salt for hydration

Our private favourite is Redmond’s Real Salt. Mined naturally in Redmond, Utah, this salt is unrefined and nonetheless accommodates all naturally occurring minerals like calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and zinc with none added chemical substances! Packing extra of a nutrient punch, that is our go-to for cooking, including to hydration drinks, and extra!! Himalayan and Celtic salts are additionally nice choices.[6]

Now, for monetary and comfort causes, desk salt is a fantastic possibility, so please don’t really feel like it’s essential throw it out and rush to go purchase a brand new form! However we additionally wouldn’t be doing our job if we didn’t inform you of higher choices.

himalayan salt for runners. Scoop and bowl of pink himalayan sea salt.

Is Himalayan Salt for Runners a Good Thought?

We talked about how unrefined salts, akin to Himalayan salt, are our most well-liked types of salt. However, is Himalayan salt for runners a good suggestion? Sure!!

As I discussed above, since this salt nonetheless accommodates all its naturally-occurring minerals, it accommodates extra than simply sodium and chloride. That is helpful as a result of whereas sodium is essential, it’s additionally essential that you just preserve ample shops and steadiness of different minerals – particularly these electrolytes we all the time harp on about!!

So, utilizing Himalayan, Redmond, or Celtic salt is a good way to be sure you usually are not solely getting sufficient sodium however electrolytes as an entire!

How A lot Salt to Add to Water for Hydration

We have now talked all concerning the significance of salt and which of them to achieve for, so now let’s contact on how a lot salt so as to add to water for hydration. You may need seen this coming…however the quantity of salt you want depends upon quite a lot of issues. Gender, stage of the menstrual cycle (for many who menstruate), how a lot you sweat, the climate/temperature the place you’re exercising, different electrolytes are being consumed at the moment, and so on.[7, 8]

Analysis exhibits that it’s best to replenish sodium losses while you train for longer than 2 hours, are in a sizzling local weather, or when your sodium losses are excessive (>3-4g Na+). This similar research additionally discovered that between basketball, baseball, soccer, American soccer, and endurance athletes, soccer gamers and endurance athletes (runners) skilled the very best whole-body sweat price (WBSR) and price of sweat Na+ losses (RSSL).[7]

This analysis is necessary to you as a runner because it discovered that you will want extra sodium than different forms of athletes!

Women hydrating post exericse wondering how much salt to add to water for hydration.

Really helpful Quantities

Once more, it’s practically unimaginable to offer you a simple reply to how a lot salt it’s essential add to your water since it’s impacted by quite a lot of elements listed above. Nevertheless, analysis states {that a} normal rule of thumb is so as to add 3.2g (0.5 teaspoons) of desk salt to each 960mL (32 fl oz) of a sports activities drink.[9]

A special research recommends 500-700 mg/L of fluid to cut back threat of low blood sodium throughout long-duration train.[9]

Barely greater quantities of sodium and different electrolytes are wanted in circumstances of excessive warmth (>77℉) and/or humidity (>60%).[9]

Suggestions for Feminine Athletes

Your part of the menstrual cycle also can influence how a lot sodium you want.

Through the second half of the menstrual cycle (luteal part), your physique pushes extra sodium out as a result of you’ve got greater progesterone ranges. Due to this, you want extra sodium and further electrolytes.[8]

Whereas salt tablets are an awesome instrument, the easiest way to fight that is to prep forward of time by including desk salt to your pre-run meals to permit your physique to soak up extra fluid and water.

For girls, it’s typically higher to arrange this manner than to devour tremendous excessive quantities of salt by way of salt tablets on the course.

How Many Salt Tablets Throughout Marathon Races Ought to You Devour?

Our FWDfuel group is usually requested what number of salt tablets throughout marathon coaching runs and races needs to be consumed. Nevertheless, once more…..this, sadly, isn’t a easy query to reply.

Just like the above, the reply to this query depends upon quite a lot of issues. To ensure that us to have the ability to reply the query of what number of salt tablets throughout marathons, we have to know issues like:

What’s the salt content material of the model of salt pill for runners you’re utilizing?
What’s the temperature and humidity of the race you can be operating in?
What’s your pace? (Slower runners spending extra time within the warmth will doubtless lose extra fluids – this results in extra salt tablets for runners)
Are you a heavy sweater?
Have you ever had a sweat evaluation?

Slower runners and/or heavy sweaters in a sizzling/humid surroundings will clearly want extra salt tablets than others. Moreover, in case your salt tablets have a decrease salt content material, you might must devour extra of them.

To get extra steerage on this, we really useful assembly with a diet coach who can assist interpret these elements and create a hydration plan in your private wants! Along with a hydration plan, a diet knowledgeable may additionally assist assess should you would possibly profit from further dietary supplements akin to UCAN superstarch or NAD-boosting dietary supplements to assist assist vitality and endurance whereas exercising.

Runners hydrated with the salt tablets and himalayan salt taking off at the start of a marathon

The Greatest Salt Tablets for Runners Listing

Ahhhh..eventually. We have now made it to our record of the very best salt tablets for runners.

If you happen to do a fast google search, you will notice that there are tons of various salt pill manufacturers on the market. All of them with their very own advertising and marketing ways to make them look like they’re the very best alternative.

You additionally may need seen that lots of the salt tablets comprise minerals different than simply the sodium chloride that’s normally in salt.

You’re proper, it’s overwhelming! BUT – that’s the place we are available in. We regarded into the nitty-gritty particulars and have compiled a listing of our favourite salt tablets (or salt pill substitutes) for runners so that you don’t need to!

So, let’s get into it!

Safrel Sodium Chloride Tablets

These unflavored salt tablets are fabricated from simply sodium chloride and comprise no different minerals. Safrel sodium chloride tablets can be ideally suited for runners who’re heavy sweaters but in addition would possibly lack some salt of their food plan, finally requiring extra supplemental sodium earlier than a run to keep away from turning into hyponatremic (low concentrations of sodium in your blood).

With 1g of sodium chloride per pill (~394 mg of sodium), these are a fast and straightforward solution to replenish sodium shops earlier than beginning that long term.

If we refer again to the tough estimate of salt wanted for hydration, you would want about 2-3 tablets in 1L of water. Preventatively is healthier – attempt to devour ⅔ of that earlier than your run after which drink the opposite ⅓ after the run to start repleting any further losses that occurred throughout the run.

At a value level of ~$13.00 for 300 tablets, this can be a budget-friendly solution to incorporate salt tablets into your operating routine.

PolyFit

Keep in mind these options to desk salt we talked about earlier? Properly..they’re again!! PolyFit’s Electrolyte Salts Tablets are made with Himalayan salt!

So, not solely are these tablets a fast solution to get your salt in earlier than a long term, since they’re made with Himalayan salt, however additionally they comprise different crucial nutritional vitamins and minerals to advertise hydration and, finally endurance additional!! With calcium, magnesium, zinc, potassium, and nutritional vitamins B6 and 12 along with sodium and chloride – these salt tablets pack an awesome nutrient punch!

Nevertheless, these are ~$17.00 for 100 tablets, so not fairly as straightforward on the pockets because the Safrel salt tablets. If it’s simpler for you, you’ll be able to all the time add ~0.5 teaspoon of Himalayan salt to 32oz of water for the same impact!

Electrolyte Tablets

Literal salt tablets, that means those that simply comprise salt, might not be all that they’re cracked as much as be. The principle distinction between them is simply the quantity of salt that’s in them.

As talked about just a little above, all electrolytes are necessary in key hydration and operating efficiency. Moreover, most merchandise marketed as “salt tablets” additionally comprise different minerals like potassium, magnesium, and so on. We all know that is completely deceptive to the patron and that is why it’s all the time necessary to learn labels and lists of elements.

These sorts of “salt tablets” that comprise different minerals are actually electrolyte tablets. Electrolyte tablets are sometimes much more helpful to runners as they produce other crucial vitamins to maintain you operating longer!

If you happen to just like the pill kind however need extra electrolytes, listed here are some nice electrolyte pill choices! We touched on this in a earlier article of ours, however I believed I might convey them over to this one for a refresher!

Nuun

Nuun! So far as electrolyte tablets go, that is our favourite! Freed from all synthetic elements whereas not skipping out on the flavour OR electrolytes – These Knowledgeable-Sport Licensed NUUN tablets have all of it!

1 of those tablets accommodates 300mg sodium, 40mg chloride, 25mg magnesium, 150mg potassium, 13mg calcium and 15kcal.

NUUN really useful dropping a pill into 16oz of water, ready 3 minutes for the pill to dissolve, then ENJOY!

Did I neglect to say that also they are vegan, gluten-free, and licensed Kosher?

NOW Effer-Hydrate Effervescent Hydration Tablets

Whereas NOW’s tablets are similar to Nuun’s electrolyte profile smart, they do have one key distinction – carbonation!

One in all their tablets provides you carbonated hydrating goodness to maintain you going all through your complete run.

If you’re somebody who loves carbonation but in addition is aware of the significance of hydration earlier than a run, NOW provides you the very best of each worlds.

Nevertheless, if you’re a heavy sweater this subsequent advice could also be greatest for you.

Precision Hydration Ph 1500

Once more, if you’re a heavy sweater, happening a long term (>2hr), susceptible to cramping and/or fatigue, and even all the above – these Ph 1500 tablets are your new greatest pal!

With a sodium content material of 750mg per pill, together with 10mg magnesium, 130mg potassium, and 20mg calcium, these tablets do a wonderful job at ensuring our sweaty runners are hydrated earlier than a run or assist replete them post-run.

The Final Phrase on How A lot Salt to Add to Water for Hydration

Keep in mind that the very best salt tablets for runners are merely a complement meant to assist an already sound behavior of hydrating recurrently. Correct hydration must be carried out constantly to not solely cut back the chance of dehydration however to additionally assist enhance detoxing.

If just a little gritty texture doesn’t trouble you, be at liberty to get your palms on some salt (ideally Redmond’s), and add it to your water your self pre and/or post-run! Nevertheless, should you want a bit extra style and a greater texture,be sure you take a look at our posts on the very best electrolyte water drinks the place you’ll study companies like LMNT that make re-hydrating an unbelievably tasty job post-run.

Lastly, one factor we regularly see in runners is a major quantity of fatigue when constructing mileage as a result of undereating and underfueling. Don’t neglect to recurrently work on boosting your protein consumption with complete meals, pure protein bars, and high-quality grass-fed whey protein to attain optimum restoration.

References

Tags: Add, Hydration, Runners, Salt, Tablets, Water

The 5 Greatest Salt Tablets for Runners | How A lot Salt to Add to Water for Hydration

What’s Salt?

Significance of Sodium for Athletes