Pelly I thought it would be worthwhile discussing sodium requirements for athletes. Sodium is needed to balance the amount of water within the cells of our body. The level of sodium in our body is carefully maintained by the kidneys. If we eat salty foods more sodium is excreted, while a diet low in salt results in reabsorption of sodium back into the blood. Sodium is also lost via sweat, however athletes and those who live in hot climates are more efficient at diluting their sweat.
Athletes are also better at reducing loss of sodium through the kidneys.
As most athletes eat more food than the average non-exerciser, they also tend to consume higher levels of sodium. For this reason most athletes do not require additional salt in their diet. Both situations can easily be rectified by substituting water with sports drinks. To make sure adequate sodium and fluid is obtain, drink a sports drink with a concentration of 20-30 mmol sodium. This should be stated on the label.