Dr. Mirkin: Salt Reduction and Exercise

Posted June 9, 2008 at 05:00 PM by Martha Jones

Section: In The News, His Fitness, Cardio Training, His Health, Physical Health, His Nutrition, Healthy Eating

Most doctors recommend low salt diets because of the evidence that taking in too much salt can cause high blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart attacks and strokes. However, this may not be good advice for dedicated exercisers. If you exercise heavily and restrict salt, you will not replace the salt you lose through sweating, which can cause high blood pressure as well as fatigue, cramps and muscle pain. When the body is low in salt, the adrenal glands produce large amounts of aldosterone and the kidneys produce renin, which constricts arteries and can raise blood pressure.

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