What is Hyponatremia?
Hyponatremia occurs when the concentration of sodium in your blood is abnormally low. Sodium is an electrolyte, and it helps regulate the amount of water that's in and around your cells.
In hyponatremia, one or more factors ranging from an underlying medical condition to drinking too much water cause the sodium in your body to become diluted. When this happens, your body's water levels rise, and your cells begin to swell. This swelling can cause many health problems, from mild to life-threatening.
WHAT DIETS AND TREATMENT GUIDELINES ARE USED FOR HYPONATREMIA (LOW BLOOD SODIUM)?
Mild chronic hyponatremia may not require treatment other than adjustments in diet, lifestyle, or medications. For severe or acute hyponatremia, treatment typically involves the intravenous administration of fluids and electrolytes. In these situations, medications are often needed that treat the underlying cause of the hyponatremia as well as medications to manage the accompanying symptoms.
When doing a very intense workout or a race, a good way to replenish your electrolytes is by drinking and eating salty foods such as sports drinks and salty snacks (crackers, pretzels) which, will replace lost calories, electrolytes and carbohydrates. Also take into account that the hotter and more humid the weather is, the more salt you should consume.