Losing too much salt?

Malcolm_Tempt@The World.net said:

Hi All,

I'm training for my second LA Marathon. Lately I've been a little concerned about the amount of
salt build up on my skin after a long run (15-18 miles). I've also been noticing the onset of light
cramping in the latter miles. I drink Gatoraid at every water stop on our training route and carry
a water bottle with Gatoraid as well. My question is , does anybody else have this problem and what
did you do for a remedy.

Thanks,

M.T.

Some people I know swear by electrolyte pills. You may want to try them and see if they
work for you.

Several of them use this.

e-caps.comdetail.cfmOpen ↗

~Matt

Malcolm_Tempt@The said:

Hi All,

I'm training for my second LA Marathon. Lately I've been a little concerned about the amount of
salt build up on my skin after a long run (15-18 miles). I've also been noticing the onset of
light cramping in the latter miles. I drink Gatoraid at every water stop on our training route and
carry a water bottle with Gatoraid as well. My question is , does anybody else have this problem
and what did you do for a remedy.

Thanks,

M.T.

Besides the electrolyte tablets already mentioned (several brands are available), you might also
consider a sports drink with more electrolytes in it (many are available). Consider that several
drinks (including gatorade, iirc) are described as "low sodium". If LAM uses gatorade, then either
carrying your own powder or using electrolyte tablets (this sounds easier) would be options.

ultrunr.com!succeed.htmlOpen ↗

Dot

--
"Success is different things to different people" -Bernd Heinrich in Racing the Antelope

Fill your pockets with salted peanuts and snack your way around....
:-)

--
Colm

<Malcolm_Tempt@The World.net> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi All,

I'm training for my second LA Marathon. Lately I've been a little

concerned about the amount of salt build up on my skin

Quoted message said:

after a long run (15-18 miles).

Quoted message said:

Losing too much salt?

Quoted message said:

I've also been noticing the onset of light cramping in the latter miles.

Quoted message said:

Does anybody else have this problem and what did you do for a remedy.

_____________________________________

You may hear this from others, too, but occasional leg cramps for me have been greatly reduced by
eating BANANAs. There's more to cramps than just sodium depletion, and bananas have potassium. Some
have suggested that other minerals
(e.g., calcium and magnesium enter into the picture as well). I do great with bananas and Gatorade.

"TopCounsel" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

You may hear this from others, too, but occasional leg cramps for me have

been

Quoted message said:

greatly reduced by eating BANANAs. There's more to cramps than just

sodium

Quoted message said:

depletion, and bananas have potassium.

Although bananas certainly contain potassium, it's sort of an old wives' tale that they are super-
high in it compared to other friuts. Oranges have more potassium, for example.

I have good success with juicing 3 oranges and a grapefruit every other day or so. I guess I also
eat bananas too, so it's the best of both worlds. 🙂

cheers,
--
David (in Hamilton, ON) www.allfalldown.org

SwStudio said:

Although bananas certainly contain potassium, it's sort of an old wives' tale that they are super-
high in it compared to other friuts. Oranges have more potassium, for example.

actually, according to this site, it seems that bananas have more potassium than oranges. btw, check
out the avocado, and the little kiwi.

healthalternatives2000.comfruitchart.htmOpen ↗

this is another good site. pretty comprehensive listing. the material is in PDF files though.

nal.usda.govwt rank.htmlOpen ↗

jobs

Malcolm_Tempt@The said:

Hi All,

I'm training for my second LA Marathon. Lately I've been a little concerned about the amount of
salt build up on my skin after a long run (15-18 miles). I've also been noticing the onset of
light cramping in the latter miles. I drink Gatoraid at every water stop on our training route and
carry a water bottle with Gatoraid as well. My question is , does anybody else have this problem
and what did you do for a remedy.

Thanks,

M.T.

The cramps are likely a result of pushing your distance barrier rather than a deficiency in your
electrolytes.

I sweat out a hell of a lot more salt cycling than I do running, and the cramping usually occurs
early in the year (cold weather) when I'm adding on distance to my long rides. When I've adjusted to
the distance, the cramps subside. For me, the hot weather doesn't seem to be a factor.

Scott

Take a look at the "banana" sub-thread above. Regardless of the input source, potassium will help
the cramp situation. Now, don't laugh, but I have had very good luck with fat-free Pringles as a pre-
long run snack. You get a some quick carbs with the salt you may need (some folks use pretzels).
Watch the Olestra though. Some have trouble with it.

Malcolm_Tempt@The said:

Hi All,

I'm training for my second LA Marathon. Lately I've been a little concerned about the amount of
salt build up on my skin after a long run (15-18 miles). I've also been noticing the onset of
light cramping in the latter miles. I drink Gatoraid at every water stop on our training route and
carry a water bottle with Gatoraid as well. My question is , does anybody else have this problem
and what did you do for a remedy.

Thanks,

M.T.

--
Random number generation is too vital a task to be left to chance.

I am a heavy sodium loser (I can hear some jokes coming my way)...

My "cure" has been to add a small amount of table salt to my Gatorade. Several years ago I was
tested in the Gatorade Sport Science lab and they told me that I am in the second standard deviation
for sodium loss. The folks there suggested this cure (or to eat pretzels or other salty food while I
exercise since I was cycling more than running at the time in getting ready for the Leadville 100
mountain bike race).

How much salt you add is going to a trial and error issue. You cannot add so much that it tastes bad
and reduces your fluid intake, but you need to add enough to attenuate the sodium losses

Gatorade has set the sodium limit in Gatorade for several reasons:
1) Palatability--most sport drinks are consumed by non-athletes not exercising. Too much salt and
the person not exercising will not like it.
2) At the current level it qualifies as a "low sodium" food as defined by federal guidelines.

--
Sam, glad to be back after a bit of a hiatus. <Malcolm_Tempt@The World.net> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi All,

I'm training for my second LA Marathon. Lately I've been a little

concerned about the amount of salt build up on my skin

Quoted message said:

after a long run (15-18 miles). I've also been noticing the onset of light

cramping in the latter miles.

Quoted message said:

I drink Gatoraid at every water stop on our training route and carry a

water bottle with Gatoraid as well.

Quoted message said:

My question is , does anybody else have this problem and what did you do

for a remedy.

Quoted message said:

Thanks,

M.T.

Thanks to all that responded,

Yep, LAM uses Gatoraid. I though I'd better train with that rather than something else. I'll get
some electrolyte tabs and see how the next few long runs go. We have an 18 and a 20 miler between
now and March 7.

TopCounsel,

Do you load up on bananas before a run or take one along with you? Our running group always has them
available after the run but not along the route.

M.T.

Dot dot.h@#att.net said:

Malcolm_Tempt@The said:

Hi All,

I'm training for my second LA Marathon. Lately I've been a little concerned about the amount of
salt build up on my skin after a long run (15-18 miles). I've also been noticing the onset of
light cramping in the latter miles. I drink Gatoraid at every water stop on our training route
and carry a water bottle with Gatoraid as well. My question is , does anybody else have this
problem and what did you do for a remedy.

Thanks,

M.T.

Besides the electrolyte tablets already mentioned (several brands are available), you might also
consider a sports drink with more electrolytes in it (many are available). Consider that several
drinks (including gatorade, iirc) are described as "low sodium". If LAM uses gatorade, then either
carrying your own powder or using electrolyte tablets (this sounds easier) would be options.

ultrunr.com!succeed.htmlOpen ↗

Dot

Wayne Conway <[email hidden]> wrote in news:28gQb.27226
$ii6.18231@okepread05:

Quoted message said:

Now, don't laugh, but I have had very good luck with fat-free Pringles as a pre-long run snack.
You get a some quick carbs with the salt you may need (some folks use pretzels). Watch the Olestra
though. Some have trouble with it.

I eat fat free Pringles, WOW Tostitos, etc. I have no trouble with it. However, those around me DO
have trouble with what it does to the air quality. ;-)

-Phil

TopCounsel said:

You may hear this from others, too, but occasional leg cramps for me have been greatly reduced by
eating BANANAs. There's more to cramps than just sodium depletion, and bananas have potassium.
Some have suggested that other minerals
(e.g., calcium and magnesium enter into the picture as well). I do great with bananas and
Gatorade.

ultrafit-endurance.com.succeedcaps.htmlOpen ↗

They have both NA and K.

--
Doug Freese "Caveat Lector" [email hidden]

No offense, but these things are overly expensive and have been suspected in a couple of doping
control cases that have gone to arbitration.

--
Sam, glad to be back after a bit of a hiatus. <MJuric> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Malcolm_Tempt@The World.net said:

Hi All,

I'm training for my second LA Marathon. Lately I've been a little

concerned about the amount of salt build up on my skin

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

after a long run (15-18 miles). I've also been noticing the onset of

light cramping in the latter miles.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I drink Gatoraid at every water stop on our training route and carry a

water bottle with Gatoraid as well.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

My question is , does anybody else have this problem and what did you do

for a remedy.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Thanks,

M.T.

Some people I know swear by electrolyte pills. You may want to try them and see if they work
for you.

Several of them use this.

e-caps.comdetail.cfmOpen ↗

Quoted message said:

~Matt

gssiweb.comabstract musclecramps.cfmOpen ↗

gssiweb.commusclecramps.cfmOpen ↗

gssiweb.comSSE78.cfmOpen ↗

gssiweb.comssn exertioanlheatill.cfmOpen ↗

A few articles concerning cramping. Consensus from the scientific community is that sodium is a
major player (as is sweat rate).

As for sources of potassium, heck the avocado blows everything else away! (not that it matters in
terms of cramping).

--
Sam, glad to be back after a bit of a hiatus. "TopCounsel" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:20040123120641.13560.00000373@mb-
m24.aol.com...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Losing too much salt?

Quoted message said:

I've also been noticing the onset of light cramping in the latter miles.

Quoted message said:

Does anybody else have this problem and what did you do for a remedy.

_____________________________________

You may hear this from others, too, but occasional leg cramps for me have

been

Quoted message said:

greatly reduced by eating BANANAs. There's more to cramps than just

sodium

Quoted message said:

depletion, and bananas have potassium. Some have suggested that other

minerals

Quoted message said:

(e.g., calcium and magnesium enter into the picture as well). I do great

with

Quoted message said:

bananas and Gatorade.

Sam said:

I am a heavy sodium loser (I can hear some jokes coming my way)...

Salty dog? 😉

Quoted message said:

My "cure" has been to add a small amount of table salt to my Gatorade.

Maybe 80% of the people on the ultra circuit are all wrong but most of us find caps especially
SUCCEED!CAPS god like. No, I don't get any kickbacks. Contents - 321 mg NA and 16 mg K.

They remove any palatability issues since they are a cap. Whether you drink water, gatorade or beer,
you can take them with any fluid and not be concerned about taste. In a race environment it's not
easy to control what you get much less add salt. Not everyone can tolerate the same fluid at every
aid station and even a little excess salt after a while tastes [censored] and deters input. Some people
get their carbs from solid food and only drink plain water. Plain water with a little salt tastes
like salt water.

You don't have to rely on an aid station interval, you can take one every every name_the_interval
with just a sip. Removes all guess work about consistency.

From a bike they are even easier.

I've used them in hot marathons with great success back when I ran the shorter events.

I don't like E-caps either. The proportion of NA to K is to too high and the extra [censored] is at
best questionable. As for dosage, I might need to take a bushel basket of these in an ultra event
on a hot day.

Ingredients (per capsule): Sodium Chloride 100 mg. Calcium (Chelate) 50 mg. Magnesium (Chelate) 25
mg. Potassium (Chelate) 25 mg. Vitamin B-6 (Pyrodoxine HCL) 6.6 mg. Manganese (Chelate) 1.6 mg. L-
Tyrosine 50 mg.

Suggested Usage:

* 1-3 capsules 30-60 minutes prior to exercise
* 1-6 capsules each hour during exercise
* 1-3 capsules after workout

--
Doug Freese "Caveat Lector" [email hidden]

Quoted message said:

Although bananas certainly contain potassium, it's sort of an old wives' tale that they are super-
high in it compared to other friuts. Oranges have more potassium, for example.

Really? According to nat.crgq.commainnat.htmlOpen ↗

BANANAS-RAW (100 grams) - 396 mg potassium ORANGES; RAW, CALIFORNIA, VALENCIAS (100 grams) - 169
mg potassium

-Phil

Phil M. said:

I eat fat free Pringles, WOW Tostitos, etc. I have no trouble with it. However, those around me DO
have trouble with what it does to the air quality. ;-)

If they are fat free they probably have olestra in them. The bad air quality is from the anal
leakage, aka, crapping in your pants and not just gas. 🙂

--
Doug Freese "Caveat Lector" [email hidden]

Potassium is not lost in any real amount. Sodium is the key. Not sure what the Na+ content of
bananas is.

--
Sam, glad to be back after a bit of a hiatus. "TopCounsel" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:20040123184307.11326.00000836@mb-
m05.aol.com...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Do you load up on bananas before a run or take one along with you? Our running group always has
them available after the run but not along

the

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

route.

Believe it or not, I try to eat one every morning with breakfast and most nights with some cereal
before hitting the hay. This has become a

long-term

Quoted message said:

habit of mine that seems to have solved leg cramps for me. I started

eating

Quoted message said:

bananas during LONG bike rides (100 - 200 miles), and found them

effective. I

Quoted message said:

think getting the potassium into your system well ahead of your runs is

the

Quoted message said:

better answer (i.e., get up a high "maintenance" level of potassium), but

I

Quoted message said:

certainly do eat them when they are offered at any running (or cycling)

event.

Quoted message said:

Bananas also have a really good mix of starch (slow energy) and sugar

(fast

Quoted message said:

energy) that gives added benefit beyond the minerals.

On Sat, 24 Jan 2004 03:18:40 GMT, "Sam" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

No offense, but these things are overly expensive and have been suspected in a couple of doping
control cases that have gone to arbitration.

They probably are overly expensive, but after you get conditioned to paying 5$,10$ 30$ per
pill for other meds, suddenly .15$ for a chunk of salt doesn't seem like so much. On the
doping subject, not that I'll ever be in fear of getting tested, but what did they get
busted for? Any links? I do have one friend that uses them that could possibly be in trouble
if tested though.

~Matt