Originally Posted by
Dreww10
Please tell me if I'm wrong in this assumption.
If you're hydrating properly (1/2 gallon+ of water a day, every day), you're drowning out your electrolytes throughout the day (I experienced the worst of this on a ride once after drinking over a gallon the day prior and it was awful). Then, you're sweating out even more of your sodium on your ride, making the electrolyte situation worse. So, if you're a frequent water drinker AND you sweat out lots of salt, shouldn't you be dropping a decent amount of salt in your water bottles to keep the sodium levels up?
I’ve always cramped more than others, and I’ve learned it helps immensely to manage my sodium intake. I don’t add salt to my water, tho; I carry Saltstick capsules and pop a couple every 20 miles or so. (Note: I don’t have blood pressure issues, where salt could be a problem.)