Being that it has been over 20 degrees this last week and I’m rooting for that to continue – I thought it seemed appropriate to inform you if perhaps you should be taking some electrolytes to supplement your training.
What are they?
Electrolytes is an umbrella term for minerals that carry a positive or negative charge. Carrying a plethora of purposes including maintaining fluid balance in the body. They are particularly important for hydration, blood pressure regulation and muscle contraction.
Nutritionally speaking the term will refer to the essential minerals (meaning essential from your diet) found in blood, sweat and urine. But to keep things topical, we are going to focus on those lost via exercise and sweat. In larger quantities we can lose sodium and chloride, as well as potassium, magnesium and calcium, which we lose in smaller quantities.
| Do you need them? The general rule of them is if you are ‘recreationally’ working out for less than 90 minutes, you’ll probably be ok. That said, there are some scenarios in which you may benefit. These include if you are a heavy sweater, or if you are working out in a warm climate. Things change when you consider professional athletes, or those who train more than 90 minutes a day at a high intensity. Where the RDA (recommended daily allowance) for sodium is 2000-2400mg, athletes find themselves losing up to 7000mg a day from sweat. You can see how this can be crucial to replenish. |
How to replenish Firstly, there are many foods that naturally contain electrolytes, so if you are recreationally exercising and eating a balanced diet, chances are you’re getting enough. Some food & drinks high in electrolytes include:MilkSpinach, kale and broccoliOranges, strawberries, bananasTofuPeanutsPotatoes Make your own electrolyte drink at home: Simple recipes like: Orange juice with a pinch of saltWater/OJ/salt/lemon juice/ honey Alternatively, you can just take an electrolyte tablet. Conveniently, AOD is partnered with a company named PHIZZ, whom sell effervescent’s that double up as a Multi-Vit and electrolytes. The team uses these when they train and we also have a code “AOD20” for a little discount. https://www.phizz.co/collections/all-products/products/the-phizz-effervescent-flavour-bundle |