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Old 04-19-2010, 08:13 PM
 
Location: In the north country fair
4,933 posts, read 10,602,364 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by broadbill View Post
Here is the thing though: As much of a "salty sweater" that you think you are, sweat is still a hypotonic solution. What this means is that for every ounce of sweat you produce, you are excreting more water than sodium from your body. If your body is losing more water than it is sodium over time, one would expect sodium levels to INCREASE, not decrease as the makers of Gatorade would have you believe.

This has been extensively studied over the years....the vast majority of the experiments conclude that serum/blood electrolyte levels (like sodium) do not change in endurance athletes over many hours of intense exercise in hot conditions (e.e. Ironman triathletes doing a race in South Africa).
But the body is also taking in more water than sodium when Gatorade is consumed--G is not 50/50 sodium and water. So, in theory, you are replacing exactly what you are losing, which is mostly water with about 10% other ingredients.

Gatorade - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Furthermore, it is classified by the FDA as a low-sodium product.

And lastly, I am a salty-sweater, which means that I lose more salt than most people and a product such as Gatorade actually protects my health (yes, I have salt on my face after I work out, especially in the summer). In fact, this is exactly why G was invented.

This is a great article that talks about salt and exercise.

Salt and Runners | Nutrition for Runners

In the above article, they actually mention that those who are acclimatized (like your triathletes) lose less sodium, which is why they don't need to intake as much salt as the rest of us. It also points out that all individuals are different; there is no one-size-fits-all regimen when it comes to nutrition and/or sodium intake when exercising.
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Old 04-20-2010, 09:45 AM
 
1,402 posts, read 3,491,081 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by StarlaJane View Post
But the body is also taking in more water than sodium when Gatorade is consumed--G is not 50/50 sodium and water. So, in theory, you are replacing exactly what you are losing, which is mostly water with about 10% other ingredients.
Right....IN THEORY it makes sense to drink Gatorade because its formulated to replace what you sweat out (and this is Gatorade's sales pitch on why you should drink it).

What the fine folks at Gatorade DON'T tell you is that your body is more than capable of regulating both serum electrolyte concentrations (sodium, potassium) and osmolarity (total concentrations of solutes in the blood) on it own.

That is why all of these studies show that there is no differences in serum electrolyte concentrations or osmolarity between athletes hydrating with plain water vs. Gatorade. These studies also show that serum electrolyte concentrations and osmolarity hardly change at all in long distance endurance races in hot/humid climates (e.g. Ironmans in South Africa), regardless of the hydration method. Its because the body is perfectly capable of maintaining/regulating these levels on its own.

Quote:
Originally Posted by StarlaJane View Post
Furthermore, it is classified by the FDA as a low-sodium product.
You are absolutely right here. To maintain serum electrolyte concentrations and osmolarity, your body has large reserves of sodium and potassium it can draw upon (in places like bone and interstitial fluid for example). The electrolytes amounts in Gatorade are almost meaningless compared to what you carry around in your body.


Quote:
Originally Posted by StarlaJane View Post
And lastly, I am a salty-sweater, which means that I lose more salt than most people and a product such as Gatorade actually protects my health
I know many athletes/runners/triathletes and pretty much ALL of them consider themselves salty-sweaters. In fact, I don't think I've ever met someone who considered themselves a "watery sweater" They must exist right? If there were so many salty-sweaters, there must be some who arent....instead, I think its something that is highly subjective.

Quote:
Originally Posted by StarlaJane View Post
(yes, I have salt on my face after I work out, especially in the summer). In fact, this is exactly why G was invented.
So does everyone else! But what you aren't taking into account is that salt accumulation is a function of time, not being a salty sweater. Here is what is happening...you've been sweating which a mixture of water/salt...the water evaporates in the heat but the salt stays on your skin...after a couple of hours you are covered in salt, and you conclude that you are a salty sweater but all it means is that you've been exercising out in the heat for a couple of hours. Nothing more and it happens to everyone...sorry.

Quote:
Originally Posted by StarlaJane View Post
This is a great article that talks about salt and exercise.

Salt and Runners | Nutrition for Runners
I know what I'm saying is heretical, but keep in mind that the people telling you that you need to replace electrolytes, that you are salty sweater, etc., etc. are the same people trying to sell you electrolyte replacement drinks (i.e. gatorade). I know it sounds like a big conspiracy theory, but I've done a fair amount of reading of the scientific literature and it appears that these drinks are really no better than plain ol water.

Quote:
Originally Posted by StarlaJane View Post
In the above article, they actually mention that those who are acclimatized (like your triathletes) lose less sodium, which is why they don't need to intake as much salt as the rest of us.
This may be true, but it don't mean sodium intake is a requirement for prolonged exercise in the heat. As I mentioned above, your body has large amounts of sodium it can mobilize to replenish what is lost through sweat...you'd have to be exercising for a LONG TIME to use up these stores.
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