High salt (sodium) diets have been linked to a number of health risks, such as hypertension. However, individuals who are avid exercisers that not only exercise at a high intensity but also in the heat may actually need salt in their diet. Heavy sweating during exercise combined with heat exposure commonly produces fluid deficits corresponding to 1-8% loss in body mass.
Two things can happen to athletes under such conditions of high heat and heavy sweating.
1) Hyponatremia (decreased