The claimEvidence C · limited
Exercisers should take salt tablets
The evidence
Routine salt tablets are unsupported and can be counterproductive for most exercisers; sodium is covered by food + electrolyte drinks, and only very salty, high-intensity sweaters need individualized sodium (NATA 2017).
The mechanism, in brief
A few hot-weather workout claims worth dismantling:
Sources (3)
- McDermott, B. P., Anderson, S. A., Armstrong, L. E., Casa, D. J., Cheuvront, S. N., Cooper, L., Kenney, W. L., O'Connor, F. G., & Roberts, W. O. (2017). National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Fluid replacement for the physically active. Journal of Athletic Training, 52(9), 877-895.
- Sawka, M. N., Burke, L. M., Eichner, E. R., Maughan, R. J., Montain, S. J., & Stachenfeld, N. S. (2007). American College of Sports Medicine position stand: Exercise and fluid replacement. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 39(2), 377-390.
- Racinais, S., Alonso, J. M., Coutts, A. J., et al. (2015). Consensus recommendations on training and competing in the heat. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 49(18), 1164-1173.