A well-meaning friend suggested I start putting electrolyte powder in my daily water bottle.
“It’s got a lot of sodium in it,” she explained, “but when you’re active and sweating, you need even more sodium.”
This product contains potassium, magnesium, and sodium, essential minerals that can be lost through sweat and urine. What caught my eye was the sodium content, which was 1,000 milligrams, nearly half the 2,300 milligrams (about one teaspoon of salt) recommended for healthy adults in the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
Health experts warn that excessive sodium intake can lead to high blood pressure, which puts you at risk for stroke and heart attack. But your body needs the right amount of sodium to function properly. Too little sodium, especially if you’re drinking a lot of water, can have serious health effects.
Believe it or not, there is insufficient evidence to establish recommended sodium intake levels, according to a 2019 National Academy of Sciences consensus study report, and some experts question the wisdom of requiring all Americans to consume less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day.
That’s because strenuous exercise and sweating can make you need extra sodium, and many people with normal blood pressure and healthy kidneys can handle varying amounts of sodium intake without raising their blood pressure, according to a 2021 review on the topic in the journal Nutrients.
Sports nutrition experts generally recommend replacing sodium and other electrolytes with fluids after strenuous exercise lasting more than an hour (such as marathon runners). If you exercised for less than an hour and ate a normal diet, plain water is usually sufficient.
Also, even if you don’t use a salt shaker, remember that sodium (and other electrolytes) is found in most foods we eat. According to the Food and Drug Administration, 70% of the sodium in our diet comes from foods that have been packaged or prepared in some way.
For example, some sports nutritionists recommend milk as a post-workout recovery drink because it contains water and the electrolytes potassium, magnesium, sodium, calcium, and phosphorus. Milk also contains high-quality protein, which is needed for muscle repair, and carbohydrates, which replenish energy stores.
So yes, we do need sodium, and in some situations, like drinking lots of fluids, we may need more sodium, but if you’re battling high blood pressure, it may not be wise to take in more sodium than you need.
So here’s a challenge: Think about your health. Take a few days to add up the amount of sodium you typically consume (you can find this on the nutrition facts label of the foods you buy), then discuss what you find with your health care provider.
Barbara Quinn-Intermill is a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator at Monterey Peninsula Community Hospital. She is the author of Quinn-Essential Nutrition (Westbow Press, 2015). Email her at [email protected].
