18/10/2017
So important especially when training in the warmer weather. This is a great summary by Tailwind Australia.
ELECTROLYTES:
Most people think of electrolytes as preventing cramps, but that’s an oversimplification of their role in the body (and of cramping). Electrolytes are salts and minerals used by the body to carry on normal functions.
Sodium, in particular, is essential to life and tightly regulated by the body. Drinking too much plain water can dilute sodium in blood to dangerous levels (hyponatremia), and conversely, under hydrating concentrates sodium levels by reducing the water content in blood.
Electrolytes are lost through sweat. When electrolyte levels are out of whack, normal body function is compromised, including one’s ability to keep turning the pedals. The goal then of electrolyte nutrition is to maintain electrolyte balance through adequate hydration and by replacing sweat loss. The presence of sodium in water accelerates the absorption of both from the small intestine, so combining electrolytes with water is the most efficient way to replace both. The composition of sweat varies from person to person (and even day to day), but on average contains sodium at 900mg/L, potassium at 200mg/L, calcium at 15mg/L,and magnesium at 13mg/L, with additional trace elements. Keep these concentration guidelines in mind when evaluating the electrolyte content of drinks
and fuels.
