How to build your sodium protocol for endurance running
Your sweat rate is unique. So is your sodium math.
Robb and the LMNT Team <[email protected]>
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LMNT promotes a sodium protocol for endurance running, highlighting the importance of maintaining blood volume and preventing dehydration. The brand recommends a baseline of 500 mg of electrolytes per hour, adjustable based on individual sweat losses, heat, and diet. LMNT provides a framework for athletes to estimate and adjust their sodium needs.
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Zach Bitter drinking from a water bottle beside the headline "Sodium Protocol for Endurance Running".
Fall is coming, which means marathon training is ramping up. High mileage plus high temperatures means your sodium needs probably ramp up, too.
Sodium helps you maintain blood volume. Lose too much sodium without replacing it, and blood volume falls. Your heart works harder. Cooling becomes less efficient. You run the risk of nausea and GI distress.
And it doesn't take extreme dehydration for performance to suffer: Losing just 2% of your body weight in fluid can impair endurance performance. To put that in perspective, marathoners lose an average of 2.3% of their body weight during a race.
Of course, sodium losses (and therefore needs) vary from person to person. There's no one-size-fits-all prescription, but running coach Bailey Lasko and LMNT partner Zach Bitter recommend using this sodium protocol as a starting point:
Start with a baseline. About 500 mg of electrolytes per hour (half a stick pack of LMNT) in normal conditions, increasing to about 900 mg (a full stick pack) for hotter or longer efforts.
Estimate your sweat losses. Weigh yourself before and after an hour of training without drinking anything. One kilogram (2.2 lb) of weight loss is roughly equal to one liter of fluid lost.
Check for signs you may be a salty sweater. White salt deposits on your clothing, a salty taste on your skin, or stinging eyes all point to higher sodium losses.
Adjust for heat. In hot conditions, aim for roughly 1.5 to 2 times more sodium than you'd need in cooler weather.
Adjust for diet. Low-carb or keto athletes often need more sodium, especially early on, since lower insulin causes the body to excrete more sodium in urine.
Monitor and iterate. If a hot long run leaves you wrecked, lightheaded, or needing hours to rehydrate, your sodium target might be too low.
That's the framework. In today's article, we go deeper into the science behind it, including:
Why elite ultrarunner Zach Bitter nearly passed out at the finish line despite drinking water all day
How sodium helps your gut absorb carbs during long efforts, not just fluid
Why hyponatremia, a dangerous sodium crash, can affect up to 22% of marathon runners
Read the full article: How to build your sodium protocol for endurance running
It may be hot out there, but getting your electrolytes dialed in now can help you cross the finish line feeling stronger and recover faster.
Robb and the LMNT Team
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AN ELITE ATHLETE'S HYDRATION STRATEGY
Zach Bitter running and sweating, followed by a shot of him smiling as he speaks to the camera
Elite endurance athlete and LMNT Partner Zach Bitter had his sweat tested in a lab, so he knows he loses exactly 614 mg of electrolytes per liter of sweat.
In this video, he explains how he uses that number to build his sodium protocol, mixing his bottles so every sip delivers the right ratio.
But you don't need a lab number to know that water alone isn't enough.
Bitter’s approach is a good reminder that every endurance athlete needs electrolytes alongside fluid.
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