Meet the Athlete
This runner is the kind of person you’d expect to need all the salt. We’re talking visible white streaks on their clothes after a long run, data from a sweat monitor, and even the old-school pre- and post-run weigh-in method. Everything pointed to sodium loss being their biggest limiter. So they did what everyone tells salty sweaters to do: load up. Salt pills, extra sodium in drinks, maybe even a sprinkle more on meals.
Except here’s the twist—when they cranked up their sodium intake, their running didn’t feel better. It actually felt worse. Mid-run, they’d get gut sloshing or nausea. Post-run, their legs felt heavy like they were carrying bricks. They couldn’t quench their thirst no matter how much they drank. And the fatigue that followed would linger well into the next day.
What’s wild is that things didn’t improve until they actually backed off the sodium.
Why This Throws People Off
We’ve been handed two extremes when it comes to salt. If you’re sedentary, the message is “cut it or risk high blood pressure.” If you’re an athlete, it’s “pour it on, more is better.” Neither version is really true. Sodium needs aren’t black and white—they live in the gray area, and that gray looks different for every body.
When you layer menopause into the mix, the conversation gets even murkier. Estrogen plays a big role in how our kidneys manage sodium and fluid balance. Take estrogen out of the equation, and the body may not handle heavy sodium loads the same way. For some athletes, that means high salt intake doesn’t equal better performance—it equals bloat, nausea, and that “water balloon belly” feeling.
What We Often Miss
One of the biggest misconceptions is that sodium problems show up as cramping. Sure, cramps can happen, but the body gives off plenty of other signs long before that. Things like gut distress, unshakable thirst, bloating, or post-run brain fog are often brushed off as “just part of running,” when in reality they can be red flags that your sodium strategy is out of balance.
There’s also the gut piece. Drinks or pills that are packed with sodium can actually slow gastric emptying. Translation: instead of hydrating you, that stuff just sits in your stomach like a rock. If you’ve ever felt like you were carrying around a cement mixer mid-run, this might be why.
And let’s not forget—just because your sweat test shows high sodium loss doesn’t mean you have to replace every single milligram. The body is more adaptable than we give it credit for. Trying to keep up ounce-for-ounce often backfires.
How This Athlete Found Their Sweet Spot
Instead of chasing exact numbers, this runner started paying attention to how their body responded. They scaled back sodium to a level that felt good, spread it out in smaller amounts instead of hitting their system all at once, and put the emphasis back on carbs and fluids first. Sodium became a supporting act instead of the main character.
The changes weren’t dramatic, but they were consistent. The stomach issues faded. The heaviness lifted. Recovery smoothed out. Their performances stayed strong—and actually felt more sustainable—without drowning themselves in salt.
Subtle Signs Your Sodium Strategy Isn’t Working
| What You Notice | What Might Be Happening |
|---|---|
| Stomach sloshing or mid-run nausea | Too much sodium slowing down digestion |
| Legs feel heavy even on easy days | Electrolytes shifting fluid in the wrong direction |
| Thirst that never really goes away | Sodium and fluid aren’t balanced |
| That “water balloon belly” feeling | Hormones + high sodium making fluid balance tricky |
| Foggy or wiped out after runs | Your body overcorrecting instead of recovering |
The Big Picture
Salt isn’t the villain, but it’s not the hero either. It’s just one part of the equation. The sweet spot is different for every athlete, and the only way to find it is through experimenting and actually listening to what your body is telling you.
For menopausal athletes especially, sodium can feel like walking a tightrope. The old advice of “more is always better” just doesn’t hold up. If you’ve been pounding salt because the internet told you to and you still don’t feel great, maybe it’s time to rethink the strategy.