You know the feeling. Grit on your skin after a long, hard training run. Your forehead, arms, stomach, and back are soaked with sweat from the heat of the beating sun. Salt lines your hat or sunglasses and all of your running clothes. Then, the craving hits. French fries! Or maybe a big juicy burger! It might even just be for some pretzels! You are craving salt.

This is certainly not unusual for most runners. Like most Americans, we love our salt; I know I do. I consider myself a health-food junkie and even I load up on the salt on all of my favorite vegetables and dishes. I think I have a love affair with salt, just like the rest of America! Americans just adore salt!

Almost every day, however, the news headlines and nutrition experts warn us about the dangers of the excesses of many foods, including the amount of sodium we consume. We know too much can be a bad thing of just about anything, but what affect does too much of this crave-worthy condiment have on our systems? And, isn't it true that athletes need to replace the electrolytes they've lost during training? The answer is YES, but there needs to be a happy medium in regards to this mineral in our daily diets.

What it sodium and why is it important? According to CalorieKing.com, sodium's role in the body is that it 'assists with transmitting nerve impulses, helps regulate blood pressure, helps your muscles and heart relax, and assists regulate body fluids to move in and out of the body's cells.' The Recommended Daily Allowance (which is the level of nutrients considered sufficient to meet the requirements of 97–98% of healthy individuals, according to Wikipedia.com) of sodium is 2,300 mg for adults. Although sodium deficiency is uncommon in the U.S., 500 mg is the minimum for proper body function. Although sodium deficiency is uncommon in the U.S., the symptoms of it include dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and muscle cramps. This happens more often in those individuals who don’t consume the mineral or those who sweat a lot. (Sound like anyone we all know?)

Because the everyday athlete sweats a whole lot more in the summertime, it's necessary for us to consume more sodium. It's also the reason why many of us feel we need a salt lick after our marathon training runs. Nancy Clark, author of the popular Sports Nutrition Guidebook, writes in her 6/10/08 blog entry entitled “Exercising in the Heat”, 'Add a little sodium to your pre-exercise stint in the heat if you plan to be outside for a while. The sodium helps retain the fluids in your body” which means less chance of becoming dehydrated and enhancing endurance. 'The idea is to take in some extra sodium before you begin long, hot-weather training. Some good ideas include canned broth-based soups, pretzels, pickles, or processed meats and cheeses before you go. Just make sure it's something you can stomach before a training run!

Some individuals, and many of which who perspire a LOT (read: their shirts are soaking with sweat after a 3-miler) choose to take salt tablets once they've begun training. The idea is it's a convenient way to help prevent dehydration. Salt tablets are inexpensive and can be found at your local running store. If you choose to use them, be sure to read the directions on the label. If you take them before training, you will get bloated! The idea is to begin to take them after your body has lost some fluid, such as a half hour into your run.

After training, most of the foods we eat on a regular basis will more than suffice to replace the sodium our bodies have lost while on the run. Runner's World Online's article called 'Pass the Salt?' states that 'during an hour of running, most of us lose about 1,200 mg of sodium. Combine this with the rest of your daily sodium losses (through sweat and urine) and the daily recommendation could fall short. Low sodium levels can cause dizziness, low blood pressure, and an abnormal heartbeat.' So how much salt is safe for runners? 'Up to 3,000 mg of sodium per day should adequately replace the sodium lost through an active lifestyle.' The majority of us easily take in this amount by drinking sports drinks (Gatorade has 110 mg per eight ounces) and/or eating the salty foods we crave so much. For example, just two slices of cheese pizza have 1,200 mg of sodium or a hamburger has 1,400 mg.

As always, however, there can be too much of a “good“ thing. This is the “bad”. We can thank our kidneys for keeping the salt balance in check, as we lose the excess of it we consume by going to the bathroom. CalorieKing.com states “too much sodium can lead to high blood-pressure, fluid retention and edema (swelling)”. Also, by retaining excess fluid in the blood, blood pressure is increased, and the risks for stroke, heart, and kidney disease rise. Salt 'is the single most harmful element in the food supply, even worse than saturated fat and trans fat, or food additives and pesticides,' says Michael Jacobson, executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Science in the Public Interest (from an article from USAToday.com on 2/10/08). Too much salt can have some scary affects.

And now, ladies and gents, for the salty! Men’s Health Magazine recently published an article named “20 Foods Your Cardiologist Won’t Eat”, listing the 20 saltiest foods in America. I know you’re drooling already! The winner? Romano's Macaroni Grill Chicken Portobello, which has 7,300 mg of sodium, 1,020 calories, and 66 grams of fat. It’s salt content is equivalent to 48 strips of bacon. What makes it so salty can be summed up in “one word: demi-glace, a fancy French name for the viscous salt slick that blankets this disastrous dish. You would have to eat 32 cups of potassium-rich broccoli to compensate for this sodium avalanche,” states Men’s Health.

We see that sodium is necessary for body function, and that athletes need more as a result of sweat losses which take place during training. The proper amount our bodies need can easily be replaced with drinks and normal post-training foods. But, too much sodium is a bad thing and it’s something we should keep an eye on in our daily diets. WebMD has five helpful tips on how to reduce overall salt intake:

1. “Take stock of the sources of salt in your diet, such as restaurant meals, salt-based condiments, and convenience foods. Some of these are really loaded with salt.”

2. “Read the labels when shopping. Look for lower sodium in cereals, crackers, pasta sauces, canned vegetables, or any foods with low-salt options.”

3. “If you think your meals are high in sodium, balance them by adding high-potassium foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables.” Great choices include bananas, nectarines, potatoes, and milk.

4. “Ask about salt added to food, especially at restaurants. Most restaurant chefs will omit salt when requested.”

5. “If you need to salt while cooking, add the salt at the end; you will need to add much less. The longer the food cooks, the more the salty flavor is muted and at the end, the final taste is on the top layer.”

Give in to that salty craving after running! Listen to your body. However, consuming more salt before and/or after training runs and workouts should take care of the extra salt our bodies need. The rest of the time, in a healthy, well-balanced diet, concentrate on keeping the salt levels low. Rest assured - those post-run French fries are worth it! Now, if only peanut butter had more sodium in it…

This article is meant to give education on the nutritional content of certain foods. It was not written by a licensed nutrition professional. Please consult your doctor if there are changes you'd like to make to your diet.  

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