Mayonnaise

According to an article in today’s Chicago Tribune, the American Medical Association this week is calling for a 50% reduction of salt in processed and restaurant foods. The idea is to raise awareness of the harmful effects of salt.

Which brings to mind a question I’ve long thought about.

I don’t have high blood pressure or a history of hypertension and am an avid cyclist.

At best I ignore thinking about salt altogether and at worst I over salt foods, thinking my body probably needs it, particularly after a long ride or after a race.

I drink lots of water.

So the discussion point is, for active people, how much do we have to worry about salt? I know we must replenish what we use while riding on a hot day, but certainly this doesn’t give us the liberty to consume as much salt as we want. Or does it?

lala

I guess it depends on the amount of processed and restaurant foods one consumes. Personally, while I love me some salt, I eat little processed foods and only high quality restaurant foods, drink water, exercise, etc, etc. I have no worries. If one eats decently and moves around a bunch, I doubt one needs to even think about this!

Eatadonut

My completely uneducated guess is that this is another thing that sedentary people need to worry about.

DataJunkie

like donuts?
Crud.... I just finished an old cycling book by greg lemond. He mentioned something about avoiding sodium. If I could just remember why......

stapfam

High salt intake is one of those things you pay for as you get older- but to a degree, the body needs salt. (So do my taste buds but that is too many years of over indulgence)

In my youth I used to do a lot of physical activity and I noticed once that one of the better athletes, after a 2 hour work out, was white. It was literraly salt he had sweated out- but it had dried on his skin and made him look as though he had covered himself in talc. He admitted his secret and it was high salt intake. I started to take salt the day before an event from then on and it did improve me no end .

Quite a few years later and I used to race in Karting Endurance events. Saturday was practice day and we were at Le Mans and it was hot and Humid. I had remembered the salt intake and aquired some salt tablets. At 2pm I took one and started unloading the van. By 3 pm I was on the track- run in the engines- sorted the chassis and by 5 pm I was back in the hotel. No other driver practiced that day till 8pm and they were still shattered. Next day- still hot and Humid so took a salt tablet every hour along with copious amounts of coffee and Glucose and not to brag- I slaughtered all the other drivers.

In the hot and Humid conditions- the body needs salt and not enough and you will pay for it. Problem is that other side of the line and heart problems will hit you at a later stage in life.

Luckily today- there alternatives to salt and one is the Isotonic drinks that are available. They definitely do work and providing you can find one you like the tase of- can be taken as often and in the quantities you want without causing medical problems.

Nightshade

A good discussion about this here..........

https://www.bikeforums.net/fifty-plus-50/202624-leg-cramps.html

'nother

I think it's kind of an individual thing. The general recommendation is to decrease salt intake because of the association with hypertension. But the thing is, not everyone with hypertension is salt-sensitive, e.g. decreasing sodium intake does not always lower BP, and increased sodium intake does not necessarily raise BP. Anyone with hypertension should probably discuss their own situation with their doctor.

But if you do not have hypertension, the advice from Mothra seems reasonable. You need to know what you're taking in versus what you're losing, and replenish appropriately. I would not "worry" about it, but I would make at least some rough guesses. E.g. if you just had 4 cans of tomato juice (~8000 mg sodium) you probably don't need to add any more sodium to your diet But if you're sucking down only water or low-sodium drinks, and you're sweating like crazy, you could be in trouble.

C_Heath

<<<<< eats lots of processed crap

badkarma

+1 - Spot on.

joeprim

I sweated it all out about a mile from the top of the Grand Canyon. I didn't know why I was so tired. Some one (cute lady) offered me a couple of saltine crackers. In a couple of min. I felt fine and went on up to the top. Sat down to wait for my buddy that went to get my car. I looked doen at myself and was white with salt. That's when Irealized what had happened.

Years ago they reccomended taking salt tablets. Those medical guys can't make up their minds -

Joe

Mayonnaise

Remember that old Star Trek episode with the monster that sucked all the salt out of your body and left you to die?

Didn't Bones nearly get killed by him?