3 Things to Know About High Sodium Supplements

 

It seems like sodium-heavy and electrolyte-filled supplements, pills, and powders are everywhere these days. But do your athletes really need these expensive sodium-enhanced products?

 Here, Stephanie Miezin, MS, RD, CSSD and Director of Nutrition for the KC Current professional women’s soccer team, shares what parents need to know about the latest electrolyte craze to keep athletes healthy and hydrated. 

1. What Does the Research Say? 

Marketing around these high sodium supplements tends to reference "the science" that says we need more and more sodium to perform optimally. But when digging into the actual research being referenced, some interesting themes appear: It is often being misrepresented, taken out of context, or referenced without providing any guidance. 

"What some researcher reviews found was that when someone has very low intakes of sodium, they have a higher risk of poor health outcomes," she explains. "With medium sodium intake levels, you have a lower risk, and then as you get into higher sodium intake, you once again have a high risk. So, people—including these marketers—are using this research to say that less sodium is dangerous because it has this association of increased risk of disease." 

Unfortunately, much of that research itself is flawed. "In much of the research being reviewed, they are not using the best methods for assessing sodium intake," Miezin says. "So, the research findings themselves are not accurate." 

Most researchers and dietitians still tend to agree that a diet that's moderate in sodium is healthier than one that is extremely high in sodium. "When we look at studies that properly assess sodium intake, we see that as sodium intake increases, so does disease risk, specifically cardiovascular disease risk." Miezin says.   

2. How Much Sodium Do Americans Ingest on Average? 

The other problem with these marketing claims, Miezin points out, is that most Americans are already taking in plenty of sodium on a daily basis simply based on what's in their food. Research has found that most populations globally consume 3-6 grams of sodium per day, which is already more than the recommended levels. So even if an athlete isn't using electrolyte or sodium supplements but is eating a fairly standard diet, they're likely getting plenty of sodium. 

"A typical American is consuming 3,400 or more milligrams of sodium per day, but the dietary guideline is about 2,300 milligrams, which is about a teaspoon of table salt," says Miezin. "Of course, we do know that athletes lose sodium through sweat, and they may need more, but it's easy to increase sodium in food without supplements." 

For athletes who've heard about the importance of electrolytes for years—and for good reason—it's easy to see how high-sodium supplements could seem attractive and scientifically valid. And because an athlete's body size and sweat can vary so widely, there isn't a one-size-fits-all sodium recommendation for a young athlete.