Why Salt is important and most of you dont get enough

[tinyman5000]

Unless you have hypertension there is no reason to avoid salt (except MSG and nitrites/nitrates). Without salt the body has alot of difficulty transporting potassium, calcium, and other minerals and electrolytes into the muscle tissue. Also, you will have problems with pumping water and carbs in them during a workout. Since most of you drink alot of water, you're pissing out boatloads of salt. Which means, adding sea salt (not a ridicilous amount) or even iodized salt to a meal can help out its taste and help. I tried this and noticed immediately my water retention went DOWN, i eat pickles constantly and i put sea salt on everything. I also look tighter and leaner. Belive me, look up my post history, i used to make threads about horrendous bloat. Well, i was barely eating any salt. I compiled alot of my information from t-nation and a couple of physiology books i probably should return to the library so they can stop sending me over due mail

[pm39120]

i go through probably 4000-5000mg of sea salt a day and never looked better

[realitysfringe]

I'm pretty sure I'm not getting enough salt, and I'm going to start correcting it. It's just not something you really think about even though you're drinking 2 gallons of water or so a day.

[tinyman5000]

Originally Posted by pm39120

i go through probably 4000-5000mg of sea salt a day and never looked better

lol it tastes good too like pretzel salt. but honestly you guys need to put that **** on everything unless you have a medical problem. Lifting weights is so water and mineral depleting you guys dont understand.

[dbx]

Great post, Tinyman5000. And you're right about people in this forum particularly, who avoid it like the plague .

I posted something in another forum just yesterday on this very subject, it may add another point or two to your already thorough post:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showpo...1&postcount=11

[frankiehockey8]

shizz neverthough about salt-

[otrebmu]

i have some whenever i have my creatine, which would be before and after workouts

[tinyman5000]

Originally Posted by dbx

Great post, Tinyman5000. And you're right about people in this forum particularly, who avoid it like the plague .

I posted something in another forum just yesterday on this very subject, it may add another point or two to your already thorough post:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showpo...1&postcount=11

now if we can get them to understand yolks are probably the natural body builder's best friend... open up the latest issue of MD and read the study about dietary cholesterol, 3 eggs a day keeps fat gain away.

[androyd]

Interesting post, been making it a point to throw in some pickles a few times a day after coming across some similar-sounding sarticles stating their benefits.

[pm39120]

Originally Posted by tinyman5000

now if we can get them to understand yolks are probably the natural body builder's best friend... open up the latest issue of MD and read the study about dietary cholesterol, 3 eggs a day keeps fat gain away.

jus three...i do about 9 a day

[dbx]

Originally Posted by androyd

Interesting post, been making it a point to throw in some pickles a few times a day after coming across some similar-sounding sarticles stating their benefits.

The only thing I would caution people on is a point I made in my linked post; that IF you already eat "clean" to start with....no problem. But if you have folks trying to lose weight and they eat a **** load of processed foods for regular meals...and then salt the hell out of their other meals...then it could be excessive.

[tinyman5000]

Originally Posted by pm39120

jus three...i do about 9 a day

i eat like 9-12 also lol, most people are terrified of the cholesterol yet are downing like 15 lbs of chicken a day

[Bioteknik]

don't forget that salt is needed to keep from cramping up. I had read that loss of cl- is more responsible for muscle cramps than any other electrolyte.

[willldabeast]

are there any symptoms of not getting enough salt (besides possible bloating)

[tinyman5000]

Originally Posted by Bioteknik

don't forget that salt is needed to keep from cramping up. I had read that loss of cl- is more responsible for muscle cramps than any other electrolyte.

Thats true

ive seen people here bitch about cramping up during cardio then in other threads they post their diets, they get like 25-50% of thier RDA for a normal person in salt. I've read studies and theories that athletes need as much as 3-5 grams of salt, depending on environment and bodyweight and nature of exercise it could be higher. Im not a scientist or a physician so dont take my recomendation, just do some research.

[Dr. Horse]

http://www.iom.edu/?id=18495&redirect=0

[tinyman5000]

Originally Posted by willldabeast

are there any symptoms of not getting enough salt (besides possible bloating)

Somethings in the gym
poor muscle pumps
lack of strength
tiredness
excessive sweating (you'll know if it happens, i was never a big sweater until i watched my diet)

in real life
dizziness
death
water retention
cravings for crap food (chips pudding w/e)

[Dr. Horse]

Originally Posted by willldabeast

are there any symptoms of not getting enough salt (besides possible bloating)

Bloating is not a symptom (unless you die and then bloat up).

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hyp...974/DSECTION=2

[tinyman5000]

Originally Posted by Mr. Horse

Bloating is not a symptom (unless you die and then bloat up).

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hyp...974/DSECTION=2

well i tightened up when i introduced salt in my diet and i just read an article about bodybuilders unable to achieve a pump back stage because they had deprived them selves of sodium also if water is not collected in the muscle cells and its not immediately evacuated, it is a fact its collected subcutaneously

[willldabeast]

Originally Posted by tinyman5000

death

ill watch out for that.


but thanks tiny, I guess I do avoid salt too much. I will start incorporating more and see if I notice any difference. repped.
ps glad to see you in the green again

[tinyman5000]

Originally Posted by willldabeast

ill watch out for that.


but thanks tiny, I guess I do avoid salt too much. I will start incorporating more and see if I notice any difference. repped.
ps glad to see you in the green again

thank you

yeah just dont go out and eat cheese burgers, but definently get some sea salt and dont shy away from soups and stuff. Sea salt tastes the best its like the big chunks of salt on pretzels you get at a baseball game or something

[Dr. Horse]

Originally Posted by tinyman5000

well i tightened up when i introduced salt in my diet and i just read an article about bodybuilders unable to achieve a pump back stage because they had deprived them selves of sodium also if water is not collected in the muscle cells and its not immediately evacuated, it is a fact its collected subcutaneously

Wha?

If you are volume depleted, it might be hard to acheive a pump (among other problems). So how will it bloat you again?

[tinyman5000]

Originally Posted by Mr. Horse

Wha?

If you are volume depleted, it might be hard to acheive a pump (among other problems). So how will it bloat you again?

it wont bloat you, it will force nutrients and water into the muscle cells and remove them from under the skin.

[Dave P]

Im a big fan of adding salt to my peanut butter. Mmmmm

[US_Ranger]

Lol @ the circle jerk in here.

A lot of mis-information going on...typical of the nutrition section. I really had to chuckle at the bloating WITHOUT salt part. Anyway, if you spend 45-60 minutes in the gym, chances are you don't need 100000x the RDA for salt so please don't use that as justification. If you want to add salt to everything, go for it, just don't use ****ty reasoning.

I train with endurance athletes and MMA fighters and I've seen high volumes of sweat. Even with these high volumes of sweat, people get along just fine without adding salt to all their food. Going to the gym and lifting weights doesn't create the same amount of sweat unless you're doing some sort of interval weight training with a constant high HR and low rest between sets.

So please get off the high horse (no pun on Mr. Horse) and eat salt because you like it, not because you need so much of it.

[vazquez]

i don't add salt to any of my food but what about using electrolytes like now foods electropro?

i wouldn't mind drinking 2/3 servings of this a day.

[ahllun]

wait so let me get this straight. you noticed LESS water retention and tighter skin immediately once you increased your sodium intake???

[TheNormalMan]

Regarding muscle cramps, it's also important to make sure you're consuming roughly the same amount of potassium as you are sodium since these two minerals are needed in roughly equal amounts by the body to function properly.

[sokrispy]

good thread, this board is so anal about sodium, it's pathetic.

[tinyman5000]

Originally Posted by US_Ranger

Lol @ the circle jerk in here.

A lot of mis-information going on...typical of the nutrition section. I really had to chuckle at the bloating WITHOUT salt part. Anyway, if you spend 45-60 minutes in the gym, chances are you don't need 100000x the RDA for salt so please don't use that as justification. If you want to add salt to everything, go for it, just don't use ****ty reasoning.

I train with endurance athletes and MMA fighters and I've seen high volumes of sweat. Even with these high volumes of sweat, people get along just fine without adding salt to all their food. Going to the gym and lifting weights doesn't create the same amount of sweat unless you're doing some sort of interval weight training with a constant high HR and low rest between sets.

So please get off the high horse (no pun on Mr. Horse) and eat salt because you like it, not because you need so much of it.

lol you dont eat dairy or beef or back squat get the **** out