# Salt pills

Saturday newsletter, sent May 21, 2025 by Daniel Rowland.
Web page: https://saturday.fit/newsletter/2025-05-21-salt-pills/
Prices and features may have changed since this was sent.

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## · Salt pills ·

Hi Saturday Morning Fan,

An athlete I work with recently asked me about salt pills. What are they? When do we use them? I thought it would be helpful to share our discussion in this week's newsletter.

**Which Electrolytes Do You Actually Need?**

We’ve shared several emails and resources explaining which electrolytes endurance athletes need during exercise. The short answer is: **sodium - only sodium**. This is why the Saturday app provides doses for salt (sodium chloride) and sodium citrate. No other electrolytes are required.

The amount of salt you need depends on several factors: your sweat rate, the sodium concentration in your sweat, the environmental conditions, and more. When you create an activity in the app, all of this is considered. You’ll receive a specific sodium target on the "Consume This During Your Activity" page, followed by the option to choose either salt or sodium citrate on the recipe page. **The app will tell you exactly how much to add to your drink.**

With this information, you know how much sodium you need - and you have a couple of reliable options for getting it.

**When and How to Use Salt Pills**

There are two main situations where I think salt pills are especially useful.

The first is when you're making Speed Nectar or increasing the sodium content in your favorite sports drink (which usually contains far too little sodium). Salt pills come in capsules with clearly labeled contents, making it easy to control the dose - particularly when a scale isn’t available.

For example, the salt pills I use contain 200mg of sodium each. If I need to make 1L of Speed Nectar with 600mg of sodium, I simply open three capsules and pour them into the drink along with my sugar.

The second situation is during races or long, unsupported sessions. Just as you might separate your carbohydrate intake from your fluids by using gels or bars, you can also separate sodium by using salt pills.

We recommend calculating how much sodium you need per liter of water, then applying that to your race plan. Using the same example, if I need 600mg of sodium per liter, I’d take three salt pills for every two 500ml soft flasks I drink. If I fill both flasks at an aid station and plan to finish them before the next one, I’ll take those three salt pills evenly across that time.

**Practical Tips for Execution**

As always, the most important principle is to follow sound fueling strategies. **Salt pills are just another tool in your toolbox. Use them when they make your plan easier or more practical.**

## · Our guide for sodium for performance ·

In this video, we'll explore optimal sodium intake for endurance athletes, considering factors like sweat rate, concentration, and exercise duration. We aim to replace sodium lost in sweat during training, while keeping gut tolerance in mind.

## [**Sodium For Endurance | A Complete Guide**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gV5ImU8nYE)

Have any thoughts, comments, or questions that you'd like to share? Please [email](mailto:info@saturdaymorning.fit) us anytime!

Daniel

_Endurance Athlete, Coach, and Saturday Customer Support._