This is probably a really stupid question but I thought I might as well ask. Lately I’ve taken to downing a teaspoon of pink salt before swimming training and sometimes before weight training sessions too. The main reasoning is that higher sodium=better pump.
Is this just a stupid thing to do or is there some benefit to it? Is there a better way to go about doing this? And is doing this 2-3 times a week harmful?
Not at all. In fact, it is an excellent pre-workout (as you’ve experienced).
It is essential and many folks do not get enough, thanks largely to the salt phobia that persists. Oh, and you can easily do 2-3 tsp a day. I would recommend you start at the top end of the RDA (5 tsp).
Salt Pre-Workout
As JamesBrawn007 stated, it is a good pre-workout supplement.
Chicken Bouillon Drink
This is one of the easiest way of taking some before a workout.
Chicken Bouillon provide around 800 mg of sodium and about 200 mg of potassium.
High Salt Diets & Athletic Performance w/ Dr. James Dinicolantonio
Dinicolantonio does a great job of debunking the myth that salt is evil.
Cliff Notes
Below is the Cliff Notes of the interview.
Sodium increases blood circulation
Overtraining is a depletion of salt.
Decreasing sodium lowers blood pressure because blood volume goes down. However, a decrease of blood volume produces an increase in resting heart rate.
When **sodium intake is below 3,000 mg/day, stress hormones increase ; stiffening of arteries occurs, creating a worse effect.
Low Sodium Symptoms: Increased Resting Heart Rate, Fatigue, Dizziness/light headed when standing up, Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS)
Low Sodium Intake, Insulin, Triglycerides, LDL, Body Fat increases; HDL decreases. Elevated BUN on blood lab.
Low Sodium intake is harder on the kidneys . The kidney work harder to reprocess.
High Sodium intake is easier on the kidneys. Less work is involved for the kidneys when it is provide in the diet rather than having to reprocess it.
Sugar and Low Sodium cause Insulin Resistance.
High Sodium increases Insulin Sensitivity.
Low Sodium may lead to higher Blood Pressure; higher Sodium may decrease Blood Pressure.
High Blood Pressure is *primarily genetic and stress related.
Pre Workout Sodium intake elevates performance. Recommended Pre Workout Sodium Dosage: 1 Teaspoon for each hour of training.
High Sodium for Exercise :
a) Reduces Heart Rate
b) Regulates Body Temperature, cools you off.
c) Increases Blood Circulation
d) Increases "Cell Voluminizing
High Caffeine (Coffee) depleted Sodium; increase Sodium intake.
Low Sodium intake increased Sugar cravings.
Low Sodium and Exercise: Sodium is stripped from the bones, along with calcium and other minerals; causing osteopenia and/or osteoporosis.
Sodium increases the absorption of Calcium.
High Sodium intake reduces the risk of Kidney Stones.
If you consume Sodium and you leg swell up, your blood vessels are leaking into the interstitial fluid.
Sodium is he “Gateway” to Eating Healthy and Exercising.
Kenny Croxdale