You've packed your bottle. The session is warm, the work is hard, and your shirt is soaked before you're done.
As you sweat, you lose water and salt. That is where sodium comes in. It's one of the electrolytes we use in Hydroboost.
Let's look at what it does, when it can help and which number to check on your tub.
What does sodium do?
Electrolytes are minerals that carry an electrical charge when they dissolve in water. Sodium is one of them. Your body uses it to help control fluid balance and send signals through your nerves and muscles.
Table salt contains sodium and chloride. Both leave your body in sweat. The longer you sweat, the more you may need to replace through food and drinks.
Sodium also helps your body hold on to the fluid you drink after a sweaty session. In a study of drinks used after exercise, people kept more of the water they drank when the drink had more sodium.
That matters when you've lost a lot of fluid and need to recover before your next session.
Does every workout need electrolytes?
Start with your day. A short, easy session in cool weather may only call for water, with your usual meals helping replace salt.
An electrolyte drink can be handy when you sweat for longer, train in the heat or have a short break between sessions. It gives you a way to replace some of that salt while you drink.
Your needs will change with the weather and how much you sweat. A mate's bottle plan may be quite different from yours.
Food counts too. After training, water with a meal can help restore fluid balance. An electrolyte drink is useful when a meal will have to wait.
Read the sodium line on the label
A label may list sodium in two places. You might see sodium chloride in the ingredient blend, then sodium in the nutrition panel.
Those numbers mean different things. The weight of sodium chloride includes both sodium and chloride. The sodium line tells you how much sodium is in the serve.
When you compare drinks, check the serve size first. Then read the sodium amount per serve. Comparing one scoop with another can be misleading if the scoops hold different amounts of powder.
The water matters too. For example, 250mg of sodium in a 500mL bottle is 500mg per litre. Adding more water makes the drink less concentrated. The total sodium stays the same if you finish the whole bottle.
Where Hydroboost fits
We use sodium chloride in Hydroboost Electrolytes, Aminos, Nootropics. It also has potassium, magnesium and calcium salts. Mix it with water and follow the directions on your tub.
Think about fuel as well as fluid. Carbs give your muscles fuel for training. Electrolytes help replace minerals lost in sweat. Those are separate needs.
If you want carbs in your bottle too, our guide to the carbs in Hydroboost Carb+ explains that mix and when it can fit your session.
Make your next bottle fit your session
Check the weather, how long you'll train and when you'll next eat. Keep your bottle within reach and take drink breaks that suit the session.
Let thirst guide everyday drinking. For long or hot sessions, a sports dietitian can help you build a plan around your sweat losses. Avoid forcing down more fluid than you need. Adding electrolytes cannot make overdrinking safe.
Want more detail? The Australian Institute of Sport's electrolyte guide explains when replacing sodium can be useful.
