Sodium levels and sport nutrition

Hi there!

I lead a pretty active lifestyle and stop only on days when I have vertigo or dizzy spells bad enough to keep me in bed. I tried going low sodium and it lead me to the cardiologist's office. I thought I was having a heart problem when, in fact, my heart is strong and healthy.

She determined that a low sodium diet, coupled with an active physical lifestyle, was messing up my electrolytes pretty badly. She told me to never go low sodium again. I don't consume much to begin with because I mainly eat fresh, unprocessed foods so I get to control the amount of salt.

As a competitive cyclist you need to be very cautious about your electrolytes and hydration. Drink plenty of water and take a supplement when you sweat a lot. I use the ones by NUUN. They don't taste great but get the job done. Mostly, I make sure to salt my food. I have naturally low blood pressure and a low heart rate, which makes me sodium sensitive. Decreasing salt makes those numbers go dangerously low and sets off symptoms similar to some of those caused by MM i.e. extreme exhaustion, severe dizziness, inability to focus and unsteady gait.

Good luck, take care of yourself and keep riding that bike

 

Sounds like a load of old cobblers to me.

Pseudo-science. Drink when you are thirsty. Don’t bother when you aren’t. It is the way that most primates get by. Electrolytes is salt is profit for companies that add sugar and salt to water and call it a sports drink, which by then commands a premium price..

 

What exactly do you mean by 'low sodium' diet?

I am not an athlete but when I was following a very low sodium diet @ 1200 mg/day and taking a very lo dose diuretic, I got too low in sodium and almost ended up in the ER. The warning signs for me was being barely able to stand and walk, not being able to retain water and fuzzy thinking.

 

My husband is a marathon runner and a competitive cyclist, I would have to agree.

 

After Mayo clinic diagnosed (2 days of some the wildest testing I've ever been thru),
I tried the sodium reduction and stuck to it for 90 days. I am very active but the sodium
level thing never worked for me. Meclizine really helps, I ride my bike average 15 miles 3 x/ week
but have to avoid streets because I fall down a lot (LOL).

My body seems to have taken over the menieres by helping me ignore the visual deformities, but
as soon as I take my eye off a given point, I swerve. Have had people think I was drunk.

Been reading it everywhere on this site, (and others) you need to find what works for you, and laugh even when
you crash your bike, or miss a golf swing.

Good luck, Bill

 

You're welcome!

This article might give you some more insight. It helps you figure out whether you are a "salty sweater" when you practice endurance sports. We all sweat but not everyone loses a lot of sodium. So, as Bill said, it really depends upon your body and what helps enhance your performance and overall well being. My skin is very salty after long runs and I need electrolytes. You can also make them at home for less than a buck. You can drink coconut water for potassium and add a pinch of salt to it.

http://www.training-conditioning.com/2007/08/salt_in_their_sweat.html

 

Sports drinks are yet another triumph of marketing over reality.

When an animal is thirsty it drinks. What makes the human species so different that we need to hydrate regularly in advance of our thirst with expensive coloured drinks containing salt and sugar? And these are endorsed by our sporting heroes for a huge pay off, which in turn you pay for by consenting to the inflated price for your coloured isotonic water in a nice bottle.

Listen to your own body, and don’t be influenced by the garbage put out by the manufacturers and their vested interests in shifting product

I work on the basis that if a low salt diet is helpful to MD than a good bike ride with some sweating is good news. I take water only for shorter rides, and add a Nunn/Nectar type tablet for longer ones (over 50 miles).

 

Thanks philosopher; that's exactly what I am saying. I'm not sure what part of my post yellow isn't getting. Nobody is shoving electrolytes or water down people's throats. However, IF someone engages in strenuous physical activity and is on a low sodium diet and feels sick from it, THEN upping electrolytes is probably a good idea.

We don't all have the same blood pressure levels and don't all have the same electrolyte levels. A low sodium diet does not work for everyone because our physiology is unique. There really isn't anything to argue about The OP asked us to share our experiences and weigh in on his problem and some of us did. I'm not sure why this has to be so complicated.

 

I also don't promote drinking sports drinks. The sugar content, artificial dyes and added flavors are terrible. Make your own with lemon, a little bit of honey and some salt. My diet is very clean so I don't promote the addition of any crappy food or beverages.

 

Agreed, you sound like you're on the same wave length as my husband, although he doesn't have menieres.

 

The OP had a link to an article that contained such pearls of wisdom as;

To avoid hyponatremia, gauge your fluid intake carefully. Aim for about 1 to 1.5 liters of fluid per hour along with some salt. The easiest way? Choose an electrolyte drink that contains sodium.

On the bike, a good rule of thumb is to consume between 500 and 700 milligrams (of sodium) per hour, which is about how much you can absorb within that time.

That seems to me to be pushing product.

The OP was asking for advice on the possible impact of a LSD on his cycling in relation to the article. As someone who does 200 miles a week on a LSD I felt qualified to offer an opinion.

When we start to ‘pedal squares’ on a bike it can be for any number of reasons. I would put lack of training, rest, recovery and fuel on a par with the likelihood of water and sodium deficiency. But we are all different.

Sorry Intrepid if that is ‘complicated’. It is just not as easy as riding a bike....

 

if a person is too low sodium to start with, as can happen on a low sodium diet especially if a diuretic is taken, then it is a different ball game. listen to your body. take it easy til you know what is going on with you. your situation is not necessarily going to be the same as anyone elses, bike or no bike.

 

Yellow, I hadn't read the article. I just replied to his post regarding workouts, diuretics and a low sodium diet. No wonder it seemed like we were talking about different things

I'm sorry

 

Do you have a speciality degree in nutrition or physical training?
I'm just curious and if so, how long have you been in the field?

 

That is my stance as well.

 

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