Replacing Electrolytes Lost During Sports

Here's what you need to know about electrolytes:

• Maintaining fluid levels in the body

• Muscle contractions; and

• Nerve impulse transmission

• Sweating results in the loss of both electrolytes (particularly sodium) and water

• Water losses are proportionately greater than electrolyte losses, so the body's cells end up with a greater electrolyte concentration (this is the imbalance that is believed to lead to heat cramps)

• As the body becomes acclimated to the heat, the sodium content of sweat decreases

• Salt: Your child's regular diet should provide an abundance of salt. For instance, a 2-pound loss of sweat results in a loss of only 1 gram of sodium -- an amount easily replaced by moderate salting of food (one half teaspoon of salt).
  
  Recommendation: Do not give your child salt tablets

• Potassium: Replacing the small amount of potassium lost during exercise is easy. Orange juice, bananas and potatoes are all excellent sources of potassium. For instance, a large glass of orange juice will replace the potassium lost in about 4 pounds of sweat.
  
  Recommendation: Do not give your child potassium supplements: not only are they unnecessary, they can cause excessively high potassium levels in the blood, resulting in an abnormal heart rhythm.

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