New info on Salt
ATT949
Posts: 1,245 Member
Just read this:
http://kfor.com/2013/07/09/cdc-admits-long-standing-error-there-is-no-benefit-in-reducing-salt/
I have hypertension in my family (my grandfather died of a stroke at age 37!) so I did some poking around on this a couple of years ago. My summary of what the actual research said was "BFD" - IIRC, eating a couple of grams of salt could raise your systolic BP by 1 mg of HG which is functionally equivalent to 0.
I've nly skimmed this article and haven't "digested" (pardon the pun) the CDC paper but, based on what little I've read, I may need to increase my salt intake. Gotta think about that one…
Also on the lines of "salt" is a thought about electrolytes and running. I've mentioned Dr. Noakes' book "The Lore of Running" and somewhere in the first 150 or so pages there was an interesting statement that, unless we're running races longer than a marathon, we don't have to be concerned about electrolytes because, as we perspire, the level of electrolyte concentration level in our blood increases.
We learned long ago that we don't get muscle cramps from lack of salt but I was surprised to hear about increasing electrolyte levels.
http://kfor.com/2013/07/09/cdc-admits-long-standing-error-there-is-no-benefit-in-reducing-salt/
I have hypertension in my family (my grandfather died of a stroke at age 37!) so I did some poking around on this a couple of years ago. My summary of what the actual research said was "BFD" - IIRC, eating a couple of grams of salt could raise your systolic BP by 1 mg of HG which is functionally equivalent to 0.
I've nly skimmed this article and haven't "digested" (pardon the pun) the CDC paper but, based on what little I've read, I may need to increase my salt intake. Gotta think about that one…
Also on the lines of "salt" is a thought about electrolytes and running. I've mentioned Dr. Noakes' book "The Lore of Running" and somewhere in the first 150 or so pages there was an interesting statement that, unless we're running races longer than a marathon, we don't have to be concerned about electrolytes because, as we perspire, the level of electrolyte concentration level in our blood increases.
We learned long ago that we don't get muscle cramps from lack of salt but I was surprised to hear about increasing electrolyte levels.
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I am of the opinion that the food industry is doing a fine job of keeping my sodium levels high enough so I rarely add salt to food. I have toyed with the idea of taking salt tablets during runs on hot days but a couple pretzels afterwards has been enough to get me back to normal.0
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I disagree on the not needing electrolytes because two years ago when eating low salt I ran myself low on electrolytes and hydration twice and caused heart arrythmias. Both times it took a couple of days to get my heart to beat correctly again (self treated).
SInce then I quit eating low salt and suppliment with magnesium and potassium and occasionally sodium and have not had the problem again.0 -
We had a sports physiologists come out to our running club last year. She was tellinng us that everyone has a diferent number of sweat glands and some folks would sweat more than others. Here in the Houston summers that can get to be quite alot of sweating. With all the different people I run with that seems to be true.
I think, once again, this comes down to the individual. I eat alot of non-processed foods, raw fruits and vegetables. About once a week I find myself needing salt/sodium. My legs will start cramping just sitting in my chair at work.After I salt a meal down the cramping will stop. I seem to bleed off sodium for a few days until I don't have enough and the cramping starts up again.0 -
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Thanks for the link!
I just skimmed the article and saw a couple of "familiar faces" ("The Lore of Running" is excellent and I'll be getting a copy of "Waterlogged" soon) and they even discuss the pickle juice news.
Interesting to read a site like this and compare it to Runners World…0 -
We had a sports physiologists come out to our running club last year. She was tellinng us that everyone has a diferent number of sweat glands and some folks would sweat more than others. Here in the Houston summers that can get to be quite alot of sweating. With all the different people I run with that seems to be true.
I think, once again, this comes down to the individual. I eat alot of non-processed foods, raw fruits and vegetables. About once a week I find myself needing salt/sodium. My legs will start cramping just sitting in my chair at work.After I salt a meal down the cramping will stop. I seem to bleed off sodium for a few days until I don't have enough and the cramping starts up again.
I was born and raised (mostly) in Bermuda - not as hot as Houston but very humid. I played basketball in high school and would, from time to time, get horrible muscle cramps in my thighs and hamstrings while I was sitting at the dinner table!
The cramps went away if I massaged my legs but the diagnosis was that I was sweating so much that I was losing salt (this was the early 70's).
Noakes discusses this in "The Lore of Running" (and it's got to be an integral part of "Waterlogged") and the research that he cites indicates that they can't find a connection between salt loss and muscle cramping.
I think this came up on runnersconnect.com recently, as well.0 -
I disagree on the not needing electrolytes because two years ago when eating low salt I ran myself low on electrolytes and hydration twice and caused heart arrythmias. Both times it took a couple of days to get my heart to beat correctly again (self treated).
SInce then I quit eating low salt and suppliment with magnesium and potassium and occasionally sodium and have not had the problem again.
To address your opening issue. I understand and agree with your position - a posting on social media site can rarely cover all conditions for all members of our species so, as with anything else we see on the web, take this posting with…a grain of salt. :-)
I'm glad that you found the cause. That must have been a tough situation to deal with.0
