Why Sodium Matters More Than You Think
Ask most people about sodium and they’ll tell you to eat less of it. But if you train hard, live in a hot climate, or use a sauna — the opposite is true.
How Much Sodium Do You Actually Lose?
The average person loses between 800–1,400mg of sodium per liter of sweat. During a hard training session in a hot environment, you can easily produce 1–2 liters of sweat per hour.
That means a 90-minute BJJ session in Bangkok can cost you 2,000–4,000mg of sodium. For context, a typical sports drink contains about 200mg per serving.
You’d need to drink 10–20 servings to replace what you lost. Nobody does that.
What Happens When Sodium Drops
Low sodium (hyponatremia) doesn’t just affect performance — it affects how you feel all day:
- Muscle cramps and weakness — sodium is essential for muscle contraction
- Brain fog and fatigue — your nervous system runs on sodium-potassium gradients
- Headaches — often the first sign of electrolyte depletion
- Poor recovery — inadequate sodium slows rehydration after training
Many athletes attribute these symptoms to overtraining, poor sleep, or stress. Often, it’s just sodium.
The Fear of Salt Is Outdated
The “low sodium” dietary advice was designed for sedentary people eating processed food. If you’re active and eating mostly whole foods, you’re probably not getting enough sodium — especially in a tropical climate.
Research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that athletes performing in heat required 3,000–7,000mg of sodium per day to maintain performance, far above the standard 2,300mg recommendation.
How to Get Enough
The simplest approach:
- Salt your food generously — this covers baseline needs
- Supplement before and after training — this covers sweat losses
- Don’t rely on sports drinks — most are sugar water with trace electrolytes
A single serving of Active Salt delivers 1,000mg of sodium in bioavailable citrate form. No sugar to spike your insulin. No filler to slow absorption.
The Bottom Line
If you train hard, you need more sodium than you think. Track how you feel — if headaches, cramps, or afternoon fatigue improve when you increase sodium intake, that’s your answer.
Your body knows what it needs. Start listening.
Active Salt delivers 1000mg sodium per serving in bioavailable citrate form. See our dosing guide for specific recommendations.