Does Citrate vs Chloride intake affect sweat composition?

[JonGreengrass]

If you consume sodium citrate instead of sodium chloride to replace sodium chloride lost through sweating does this change the composition of your sweat? I’m pretty sure from my high school chemistry that you can’t sweat sodium cations without sweating out anions as well?

[AussieRider]

Paging @Dr_Alex_Harrison

[Dr_Alex_Harrison]

I’m not 100% certain.

Chloride losses are substantial, regardless, I believe.

That said, I’ve yet to read any literature that makes a strong case that chloride replacement is performance-enhancing or cramp preventative, or that hypochloremia has been reported.

I know there is a reasonably well-informed and experienced company that believes chloride to be important. I’ve seen their data and remain unconvinced. And I know that there are 100 marketers for companies that want you to believe that chloride, among other non-sodium electrolytes are important to replace and that only their product has them in the right amounts for you.

I also know that there is a newer company founded by one of the greatest minds in endurance sport nutrition science which does not include any chloride in its products. Only sodium citrate. There is a trend in this direction.

In my personal beverages, when it counts, and in my wife’s when it counts more, I include a tiny amount of salt, just to make myself feel better because I’m not absolutely convinced either way. For 99% of our beverages though, I just use sodium citrate, and there have been a great many performances like that. The inclusion of salt in my and my wife’s “important” beverages is pure superstition at this point, if I’m being purely rational.

[JonGreengrass]

Thanks for your response, looks like this is a question that doesn’t really have an answer yet in the public domain. I’m not an ultra endurance athlete and rarely ride more than 3hrs so a pinch of salt in my bottles is plenty for my needs.

I’m not convinced by a lot of the “science” promoted by sports nutrition businesses, I read a response from one in a previous topic that claimed that table salt( sodium chloride) was acidic!

Hydration, Sweat and Cramping with Precision Hydration's Andy Blow – Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast 221

Hi Rondal, Thanks for your questions. You could just add sea salt or equivalent to water and try adding lemon or lime juice, although it might not taste all that great - everyone’s different though so it may be something you get on with. One thing to note is that table salt has been shown to be more distressing to the GI system as it is considerably more acidic due to the relatively large proportion of chloride in sodium chloride (composed of 40% sodium and 60% chloride). In contrast, the prim…

[Dr_Alex_Harrison]

@JonGreengrass

I’m not convinced by a lot of the “science” promoted by sports nutrition businesses

You and me both.

Most of it is marketing, disguised as science.

Welcome to one of my greatest pet peeves.