Episode 12: Electrolytes for Runners

Tread Lightly Running Podcast

Electrolytes are a popular topic when the weather starts warming up! In this episode, we discuss everything you need to know about electrolytes for runners. Electrolytes include sodium, potassium, magnesium, chloride, and calcium. Many of your sports drinks and gels contain these - but what do they actually do? Will electrolytes help you reach your running goals, or are they overhyped?


Discussion points include:

- What are electrolytes?

- What do electrolytes actually do for runners?

- Do electrolytes prevent muscle cramps?

- How do you know if you are a salty sweater

- How much sodium you need in your sports drink

- The concerns around hyponatremia

- If coconut water is a viable alternative

- Our hot takes on popular sports drinks


Plus, we answer a listener question on compression gear.


References:

https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/pages/articleviewer.aspx?year=2007&issue=02000&article=00022&type=Fulltext

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/sms.12637

https://journals.lww.com/cjsportsmed/Abstract/2003/01000/The_Incidence,_Risk_Factors,_and_Clinical.8.aspx

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27768399/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9699060/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32796418/

http://www.dcscience.net/Miller_Pickle_juice_cramps_reflex_2010.pdf


More description

Electrolytes are a popular topic when the weather starts warming up! In this episode, we discuss everything you need to know about electrolytes for runners. Electrolytes include sodium, potassium, magnesium, chloride, and calcium. Many of your sports drinks and gels contain these - but what do they actually do? Will electrolytes help you reach your running goals, or are they overhyped?


Discussion points include:

- What are electrolytes?

- What do electrolytes actually do for runners?

- Do electrolytes prevent muscle cramps?

- How do you know if you are a salty sweater

- How much sodium you need in your sports drink

- The concerns around hyponatremia

- If coconut water is a viable alternative

- Our hot takes on popular sports drinks


Plus, we answer a listener question on compression gear.


References:

https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/pages/articleviewer.aspx?year=2007&issue=02000&article=00022&type=Fulltext

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/sms.12637

https://journals.lww.com/cjsportsmed/Abstract/2003/01000/The_Incidence,_Risk_Factors,_and_Clinical.8.aspx

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27768399/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9699060/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32796418/

http://www.dcscience.net/Miller_Pickle_juice_cramps_reflex_2010.pdf


2023-04-29 34 min
Listen elsewhere

Available Results

Generated results are saved to your library for reuse and search.

No generated results are available for this episode yet.

Transcript

No transcript is available for this episode yet.
Sign in to generate a transcript for review.
Sign in

Chapters

No chapters available.