Sodium is often added to sports drinks as this helps promote water absorption and hence aiding hydration.

Yes some sodium is lost as salt (aka Sodium chloride) but proportionally more fluid is lost hence fluid replacement rather than electrolyte replacement is the primary need. BUT sodium replacement DOES promote water absorption AS LONG AS IT DOES NOT EXCEED that lost in sweat.

Sodium added to drinks however can make it unpalatable and the aim is to get a good compromise. Most sports drinks will contain 10 to 25mmol sodium per litre.

The average daily recommendations are NOT to exceed 6g salt (sodium chloride) per day. The average intake of salt in the UK is 9g with about 75% of this hidden in foods. As part of a healthy balanced diet it is important not to exceed recommended salt intakes. However, if you find you do sweat a lot, especially during longer runs and during hot weather, this recommendation is not applicable and you do not need to be AS restrictive AS LONG as the overall fluid intake is good and there are no other medical issues.

Different types of sports drinks explained….

There are lots of sports drinks available now and it may be of help to understand these more. Which one you chose will depend on what you are trying to achieve.

What does ‘Isotonic mean’?

An ‘Isotonic’ drink has the same number of dissolved particles ((osmolarity) (e.g. electrolytes & carbohydrates)) as are found in blood plasma.

Chose if wanting to promote hydration AND provide energy.
• E.g. Lucazade sport, Gatorade, Powerade, Supermarket own brand sports drinks

What does ‘Hypotonic’ and ‘Hypertonic’ mean?

A ‘Hypotonic’ drink has a lower osmolarity and promotes water uptake but usually supplies less carbohydrate.

Chose if not wanting extra energy but wanting to promote hydration.

• E.g. the ‘newer’ style ‘low calorie’ sports drinks Lucazade sports lite, supermarket own brand ‘lower calorie’ sports drinks.

A ‘Hypertonic’ drink has a greater osmolarity and contains a higher concentration of carbohydrate and hence more energy. However, this can slow gastric (stomach) emptying and compromise fluid replacement. i.e. good for providing energy best.

NOT good as a sport drink.

• E.g. fruit juice, milk, milkshakes.

Keeping well hydrated is essential both in training and during races. Just a loss of body water corresponding to 2% and in excess of 5% of body weight can reduce aerobic capacity by up to 20% and 30% respectively. This will therefore start to impair performance. You may now think twice about running with a ‘hangover’!

During exercise fluid losses can vary hugely and depend on a number of factors such as body surface area, exercise intensity, environmental temperature, humidity, hydration status, acclimatization and clothing worn.

Choice of fluid will vary depending mainly on intensity and duration of exercise. As a very general recommendation:
• Runs less than about 1 hour..water should be sufficient.
• Runs over an hour….isotonic (sports) drink (more on these next week!).

Remember tea, coffee and alcohol are diuretic i.e. they stimulate urine output and make any dehydration even worse.

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One very big misconception is that eating extra protein or taking ‘protein supplements’ will help give you stronger and bigger muscles!!! If you take too much protein and not enough carbohydrate then the extra protein will just be used for energy instead, which is not as efficient as a body fuel.

As a runner you will have slightly higher protein requirements HOWEVER if you are meeting your daily energy requirements through a healthy diet with a good intake of carbohydrates then you will more than likely meet any increased protein requirements.

Chose a variety of protein rich foods such as lean meats, chicken, fish, beans pulses, lentils, eggs, meat free alternative products and low fat dairy foods.

Carbohydrate is stored as glycogen in muscles and as only a limited amount can be stored you need to make sure these are topped up daily and especially after a run. In general, aim for about 50g carbohydrate within the first two hours after exercise. Please note that there will still be individual variations for example, age, gender, body weight, intensity of exercise etc.

Post run snacks that contain 50g carbohydrate:
2 bananas
15 dried apricots
3 cereal bars
3 slices of thick bread.
1 large bowl (~75g) porridge oats