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Okay. So, you know, I think we've all heard it, right? Like just pile on the salt to get a better pump. You'll be more swole, maybe even leaner. Like it's almost like a gym mantra. Yeah. You definitely hear it a lot, don't you? The whole salt thing. It's like this constant topic in the bodybuilding and physique world. And I guess it makes sense to some extent, you know, sodium does have a pretty important role in how our body functions, especially when we're talking about building muscle, you know, pushing those limits in the gym. Right. Right. Exactly. I mean, we all know it's an electrolyte and those are like crucial, but is there really something to this idea that more salt equals better results?
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I mean, is that actually backed up by, you know, hard science or is it more like bro science? Yeah. That's the million dollar question, isn't it? So, you know, what we're doing today is really taking this whole salt and physique goal thing and we're putting it under the microscope. And by microscope, I mean, we've got a stack of research here. We're talking peer reviewed studies. We've got systematic reviews. We've got systematic reviews. We've got systematic reviews. We've even got some meta-analyses. So we're going pretty deep with this, really trying to separate fact from fiction. Love it. A deep dive. So for anyone listening, like you're going to get a real clear picture of what the science actually says about salt and how it affects your physique goals.
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And hopefully you'll walk away from this knowing how to manage your salt intake so that you're actually, you know, supporting your body and your health and not potentially holding yourself back. That's exactly it. No more guessing, no more relying on what you heard from someone at the gym. No bro science here. Exactly. Okay. So let's just start with the basics. Why is sodium even important in the first place? Like, especially for people who are really focused on their physique. Sure. So I think a good way to think about it is that sodium has kind of these multiple roles in how your body performs, especially when you're pushing it hard in the gym. So first off, we've got fluid balance, right? Sodium is a major player in regulating how much water is inside and outside of your cells.
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And this impacts everything. I mean, from making sure that nutrients are getting delivered to your muscles properly to just making sure that those muscles are functioning the way they should. So like when I'm trying to hit that PR, when I'm struggling through that last rep, you know, sodium is a part of that whole system that's making those muscles fire, right? Absolutely. It's really a key part. It's really a key part of that whole mind-muscle connection that we talk about. And then, you know, you've got nerve impulse transmission. So sodium is basically essential for those signals that travel from your brain to your muscles, telling them to, you know, contract, to actually move. And then it's also directly involved in the actual muscle contraction and relaxation processes themselves.
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So, that's obviously going to have a pretty big impact on how well you can train and how well your body recovers. And then, you know, lastly, but certainly not least, you've got sodium-regulating blood volume and blood pressure. And this is key for a couple of things. It helps to make sure that your muscles are getting all the nutrients and oxygen that they need, especially during, you know, a tough workout. And it also plays a role in achieving that pump that everyone's chasing. Yes, the pump. Yeah. So, is there actually some truth to this idea that more salt equals a more epic pump? Well, we'll definitely circle back to that whole pump. But I think one thing that's super important to keep in mind, especially for anyone training hard, is that you're losing sodium when you sweat.
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Right. Right. So especially if you're training intensely, you know, you're sweating a lot, it's crucial to replenish those electrolytes, including sodium. And that's to prevent things like hyponatremia, which can, you know, really mess with your performance and your health. Gotcha. So sodium is essential. We get that. But let's talk about this idea that I've heard. I mean, I've heard it a lot, that if you really want to maximize muscle growth, you've got to eat a ton of salt. Is there any truth to that? So it's a popular idea, isn't it? But honestly, when you really look at the scientific literature, there's not a lot of strong evidence to directly link high salt intake to muscle growth. In fact, you know, there's some research that's actually pointed in the opposite direction, suggesting that too much sodium might not be so good, especially as we get older.
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Oh, wow. Okay. So what kind of research are we talking about here? So there was a study, I think it was in 2023, by Louvola and their team. And they found that people who ate more salt actually had lower grip strength. And they also didn't do as well on some tests of mobility and balance. And this was especially true for women. And then there's another study from 2020, and this was by Yoshida and colleagues. And they kind of hinted that high salt intake might actually increase your risk of sarcopenia. Sarcopenia. Remind me what that is again. Yeah. So sarcopenia is basically the loss of muscle mass and strength as you age. Okay. Right, right. And what was interesting was they also observed that people who had higher sodium intakes also tended to have weaker hand grip strength.
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And they actually found higher levels of sodium in the skeletal muscles of older individuals. So it's almost like instead of helping you hold on to muscle, it might actually be making things worse as you age. Yeah. It's a possibility. I mean, we definitely need more research to really nail down exactly what's going on there and what those mechanisms are. But it's certainly something to think about. For sure. For sure. Now, I should mention that there was one study from 2019. I think this one was by Nick Pei and their team. And they actually found a positive correlation between dietary salt intake and fat-free mass. Okay. But this particular study was done in a general population in Malaysia. Okay. So, not specifically physique athletes.
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So, you know, more research is needed in that specific context to see if those results hold up. Okay. So I guess the bottom line on salt and building muscle is what? Well, I think based on the evidence we have right now, it's probably safe to say that loading up on salt isn't some magic bullet for muscle growth. Right. You know, if you want to build muscle, focus on things that we know work, like eating enough protein, having a solid training program, being consistent. Okay. So let's switch gears a little bit and talk about fat loss. Because that's another area where I've heard, you know, some claims about salt. Like I've heard that eating more salt can somehow actually help you burn fat, which doesn't really sound right to me. Yeah.
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It's an interesting one, isn't it? But, you know, unfortunately, the evidence actually suggests that higher salt intake is more likely to hinder fat loss than help it. Okay. You know, there's a pretty consistent link between, between eating a lot of salt and having a higher risk of both overall and abdominal obesity. Okay. So, you know, kind of, kind of the opposite of what you might think. Can you give us some, some examples of, of that research? Like what kind of studies are we talking about? Yeah, absolutely. So, so there was one study, I think this was from 2018 by, by Zhang and their team. And, and they, they basically found that for every one gram per day increase in, in sodium intake, people's risk of, of developing obesity, went up by 15% and, and their risk of central obesity, you know, that's the kind of fat that, that sits around your middle that went up by a whopping 24%.
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Okay. So, so pretty significant increases there. And then there's another study. This one was from 2015 by he and colleagues and, and they, they found that higher salt intake was linked to, to higher BMI, larger waist circumference, and, and just more overall body fat. And, and this was actually seen in, in both children and adults. Hmm. And then you've got even more recent research from 2022. This one was by, by Ma and colleagues, and they, they used a, a method called, called Mendelian randomization, which, which is really interesting because it, it allows researchers to, to look for, for potential causal links. Okay. Right. Rather than, than just associations. And, and what they found was that, that higher levels of sodium in, in people's urine, which is obviously a reflection of their, their dietary intake, was causally linked to, to increases in both BMI and body fat percentage.
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So, so pretty, pretty clear links there, right? Yeah, there's definitely a, a strong connection there. So how, how is it that, that eating more salt might actually lead to, to more body fat? Like, like what's the mechanism there? Yeah, that's, that's a really good question. And, and one of the, the main theories is, is that when you, you eat a lot of salt, you tend to get thirstier. Makes sense. Right. And, and a lot of times that thirst leads to, to people reaching for, for sugary drinks like, like soda or juice, which are. You know, loaded with calories and, and those extra calories obviously can, can contribute to weight gain. Oh, for sure. In fact, there's, there's some estimations that, that if you, if you cut back on salt, you could actually reduce your, your total fluid consumption by, by about 350 milliliters a day, which, you know, might mean that you're, you're less likely to reach for that, that extra sugary drink.
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So it's, it's almost like a, like a ripple effect. Exactly. Okay. What about, what about the whole, the whole water weight thing? Because I, I know that, that people often say, oh, well, salt just makes you retain. So, so is it, is it really actual fat loss that we're talking about here or, or is it just water weight? Right. Yeah. That's, that's a really important distinction. And, and there was a, a study from 2014 by, by Kim and colleagues and, and they, they looked into this and what they found was that when, when people were on a, a low salt diet, they, they did tend to lose more weight and, and their BMI went down more, but, but this was mostly because they were, they were losing water. Right. Right. Right.
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Right. Right. Right. Right. There was a difference in, in the amount of, of actual fat mass that they lost. So, you know, the scale might show a lower number when you cut salt, but that doesn't necessarily mean that you've, you've actually burned more fat. So, so it's kind of like a, like a false sense of progress in a way. Yeah, exactly. I mean, you, you might think you're, you're making more progress than you actually are, but it's, it's really just, just water shifting around. Okay. Now, I do remember something about, about a mouse study in, in our notes here. Yes, that's right. There is. There was a study done in, in mice and, and what they found was that, that when sodium was added to a, a high fat diet, it actually seemed to suppress weight gain in the mice.
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Okay. But, but, you know, we, we always have to be careful about extrapolating from, from animal studies to, to humans. Right. Because what, what works in mice doesn't always translate directly to, to people. So, so I think we have to, to take that one with a, with a grain of salt, so to speak. I like it. I like it. Okay. So, so it seems like the, the message on, on salt and fat loss is. Yeah. Is pretty clear. Don't, don't overdo it. Yeah. Yeah. Moderation is key. Now, let's, let's move on to a topic that I know is, is really relevant for, for a lot of physique athletes, and that's, that's peak state. So, so what's the deal with, with manipulating sodium during that, that final week before a competition? Right.
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Peak week. Peak week. Yeah. This is, this is a really common practice in, in bodybuilding, isn't it? You know, this whole idea of playing around with your, your sodium intake in, in the days leading up to, to scuppy. And, and the, the traditional approach usually goes something like this: You start with a, a period of, of higher sodium and water intake. Cool. And then you, you follow that with a, a pretty drastic reduction in, in the days, the days just before the show. Oh, okay. So, you know, you're, you're kind of going on this, this sodium rollercoaster. So, so why, why would you do that? Like, what's the, what's the thinking there? So the, the main idea behind it is, is to try and, and maximize glycogen storage in your muscles.
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Okay. Because, you know, when, when your muscles are. Full of glycogen, they look fuller, more, more pumped. Yeah. Right. And, and at the same time, you're also trying to, to minimize the, the amount of, of water that's, that's sitting under your skin. That, that's subcutaneous water. Okay. So that you, you look as dry and defined as, as possible on, on stage. And, and the way they, they kind of think about it is, is that the initial increase in sodium and, and water helps to draw water into, into the muscle cells along with, with carbohydrates. Okay. And then the, the drastic. Cut is, is supposed to, to flush out that water that's, that's being held outside of the muscles. Okay. But does, does it actually work? That's the big question, right? Yeah.
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And, and is it, is it even safe? Yeah. And, and to be honest, the, the scientific evidence to, to really back up these, these extreme manipulations, it's, it's not really that strong. And, and one of the, the big potential problems with, with cutting sodium too drastically is, is that it can actually trigger the release of, of a hormone called. Aldosterone. Okay. And, and as we talked about earlier, aldosterone is, is what tells your, your kidneys to hold onto, onto sodium and, and water. So, so you could actually end up with, with more water retention, which is, you know, the exact opposite of what you want. Right. When you're, you're trying to look your leanest. So you're saying you could end up looking even, even softer, even more, more waterlogged, like, like if you hadn't done it at all.
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That's, that's the risk. Yeah. And then another potential issue is, is that you, you could end up with, with a drop in your blood pressure. Mm. And, and if your sodium levels get, get too low, that can actually make it, make it harder to, to get a good pump backstage. And, and you, you might even feel dizzy or lightheaded, which is, you know, not exactly what you want to be feeling right before you step on stage. Yeah. That's not a good look. Not ideal. Not ideal at all. So, so that's why, you know, more and more people are kind of moving towards this, this idea that maybe, maybe a more, more consistent approach to, to sodium and water throughout peak week is, is actually better and, and potentially safer. Okay.
00:13:55
You know, the thinking is that, that if you're, if you're already pretty lean, you've been dieting well, your, your glycogen levels are, are topped up, then maybe a, a slight increase in sodium along with, with plenty of water just, just before you, you go on stage. You know, that, that might actually help to, to enhance muscle fullness without, without causing you to, to spill over and, and hold all that water under your skin. So, so it's like, it's like finding that, that sweet spot. It's, it's not about, about the extremes. It's about, about kind of keeping through. It's about keeping everything stable. Yeah. That's, that's kind of the, the emerging thought in, in the field that stability and consistency, you know, might, might actually be, be the way to go.
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And, and we also have, you know, some, some observational data that's shown that, that when, when people manipulate their, their water intake too much during peak week, it can lead to, to dehydration. So, you know, adding extreme sodium cuts on top of, of that is, is probably not a good idea. Okay. Okay. Good to know. Yeah. Let's talk about exercise performance, because I know sodium is, is really important for, for that too, but, but how exactly does it, does it impact our workouts, you know, in terms of how we feel, how we perform? Sure. So sodium, sodium is absolutely crucial for, for maintaining hydration, which, which is, is really the foundation for, for optimal performance, especially if you're, you're doing anything that, that lasts for, for a while. Okay. Right.
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Like endurance sports, you know, if you're, if you're running marathons or, or doing triathlons or, or anything like that. And the reason for that is, is that when you sweat, you, you lose sodium. And, and replacing those losses, it, it helps to stimulate thirst, it encourages you to, to drink more, and it reduces how much, how much urine your body produces. Okay. And all of, all of that together helps to, to prevent you from, from getting dehydrated and, and feeling fatigued. So, so if you're, you're doing an endurance event that's, that's going to last for, for longer than, than two hours, especially if it's hot out. Right. You know, you might need to, you know. You might need to think about replenishing somewhere around, around three to four grams of, of sodium.
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Now, now for most, most resistance training sessions, you know, if you're, if you're in the gym for, for an hour or less, you know, under 90 minutes or so, usually plain water is, is enough to, to stay hydrated. You know, you don't necessarily need to, to worry about adding extra sodium. Okay. So, so it's more of a, of an issue for marathon runners and, and triathletes than, than for, for your average gym goer. Generally speaking, yes. Right. I was really pushing it hard for, for a really long time in the gym. But sodium is still important for, for resistance training, too. You know, it's, it's essential for, for your muscles to function properly and, and to, to get that, that feeling of the, the pump that we talked about earlier. Right.
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Right. And that's because, you know, adequate sodium levels help to, to maintain a good blood pressure, which is, which is what drives that, that blood flow into the muscles when you're, you're working out. And there's actually, you know, some research that suggests that, that taking in some salt before a workout, right, is, is important for, for, for your muscles. a workout can actually improve blood flow i mean there was a study done on on cycling that showed that really interesting so so like a little pinch of salt before i i hit the weights might might actually help me get a better pump potentially yeah especially if you're someone who who tends to to have
00:17:12
lower blood pressure you know it it might give you that that extra little boost now now another thing that that people often talk about in in relation to electrolytes and sodium is muscle cramps yeah you know those those painful cramps you can you can get during or or after a workout yeah for sure for sure so are those usually caused by by sodium imbalances like like if you're not getting enough sodium are you more likely to cramp up so it's it's definitely possible i mean electrolyte imbalances including including sodium are definitely one of the things that that researchers think might contribute to to exercise associated muscle cramps but the the truth is that the
00:17:53
exact cause of of cramps it can be really complex okay it's often multifactorial so so sodium might be be part of the picture but it's not necessarily the whole story some some people believe that that if you if you make sure you're you're getting enough sodium especially before before you train you know that that might help to prevent cramps and and this is this is especially true for for endurance athletes who sweat a lot okay now what about those those sodium bicarbonate supplements that you you see sometimes do do those actually work yeah so so sodium bicarbonate has been been studied for its potential to to improve muscular endurance and the idea is that that it can help to to buffer the the buildup of acid in the muscles during during really intense exercise but but there was there was one study that looked at combining it with with caffeine in in resistance training and they they didn't actually find a a significant improvement in in performance okay so you know
00:18:50
while sodium definitely has has these these really important roles in in exercise you know it it helps with hydration it helps with muscle function the the benefits of of actually supplementing with with sodium bicarbonate specifically for for resistance training they seem To be, to be limited based on on the research we have now, okay so so we've talked about about some of the potential benefits of sodium, or at least you know, the perceived benefits. But but what about the downsides? Like like we know that eating too much salt is not good for your health, but but how does that specifically play out for for for your health and your health and your health and your health and
00:19:20
disease athletes, yeah that's that's a great question, and and I think you know, the the biggest concern with with high salt intake is is it's linked to to high blood pressure or or hypertension right and and hypertension is is a major risk factor for for cardiovascular disease right and and this is something that that really applies to to everyone you know athletes included even though they might have a slightly lower baseline risk than than people who are who are more sedentary more inactive okay you know and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and you know it's just important to remember that that a lot of
00:19:52
people you know even people who who are physically active who are who are training hard they they often eat way more salt than than they need yeah for sure you know the the world health organization recommends that that people consume less than than five grams of salt per per day okay but but the the average intake in in a lot of of countries is is double that you know nine to twelve grams a day so so even if i'm even if i'm hitting the gym hard you know five days a week and i'm eating you know five days a week you know what i think is a pretty healthy diet i'm i'm not necessarily
00:20:23
immune to to the the effects of too much salt no that's right it can still still have those those negative effects on on your blood pressure okay and then you know beyond beyond cardiovascular issues high salt intake has has also been linked to to an increased risk of of stomach cancer kidney disease and and there's there's some emerging research that that suggests there might even be a connection to to insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome and and that's that's particularly relevant for for physique athletes who who are often eating high protein diets okay right because because very high protein intake can can also potentially impact impact kidney function so so it's it's really really important to to be mindful of of your kidney health and and your blood pressure you know especially when when you're combining a high salt intake with with a high protein intake right right so so i guess i guess moderation really is is key when it comes to salt yeah yeah it's not something to to be taken
00:21:20
lightly okay so so just a quick question about about all the the different types of salt that that are out there you know we've got we've got sea salt we've got himalayan pink salt we've got regular table salt does does it actually matter which one you you use like does it actually make a difference for for your physique goals yeah it's a it's a good question because there's there's a lot of of hype around these these different types of of salt isn't yeah for sure you know especially the the more the more exotic ones right so it is it is true that different types of salt are different types of of salt do have
00:21:52
have slightly different different mineral compositions so for example you know sea salt and and himalayan salt can can have trace amounts of of minerals like like magnesium and and potassium okay but but the the scientific evidence doesn't really suggest that those those minor mineral differences actually have a big impact on on things like like muscle growth or fat loss or strength gains you know as as long as your your total sodium intake is is the same so so the fancy pink salt isn't going to to give me give me bigger biceps i i don't Think so, I mean not not according to to the research we have right now, right? You know micronutrients are are definitely important for for athletic performance.
00:22:33
You know they they play roles in in energy production and in muscle recovery and just in in overall health. But but the the amounts of of these these other minerals that that are in in these specialty salts they're they're generally pretty small, okay? You know you're you know you're on on eating a balanced diet that's that's rich in in whole unprocessed foods to to make sure you're getting all the the micronutrients you need rather than then relying on on a specific Type of salt, right? It's about the the whole picture not just just one little thing exactly okay so so let's let's wrap things up here based on on everything we've discussed what are some evidence-based recommendations for for physique athletes you know when when it comes to their their salt intake sure so so I think You know, for your general day-to-day intake, it's a good idea to stick to the general healthy guidelines, which is usually less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day.
00:23:34
And don't fall into the trap of thinking that you need to eat a ton of salt to build muscle. You know, focus on protein. Focus on your training. Those are the things that are really going to move the needle. And if fat loss is your goal, then it's probably best to avoid high salt intake. You know, we talked about how it's linked to increased body fat. So focus on creating that calorie deficit. You know, eat a balanced diet and remember that any initial weight loss you see when you cut salt, it's probably just water weight. Right, right. Now, when it comes to peak week, you know, if you're competing, I would say steer clear of those drafts. You know, a more consistent approach to both sodium and water intake is probably a better way to go.
00:24:25
And, you know, you might want to consider maybe just a very slight increase in sodium with plenty of water in the hours leading up to the show. Okay. To try and maximize that muscle fullness, but avoid those big swings. Right, right. Stability is key. Yeah, yeah. And then, you know, for exercise performance in general. Make sure you're staying well hydrated, you know, especially during long or really intense workouts. Or if you're training in the heat, you know, in those cases, you might need to think about using an electrolyte drink to replace those losses. But for typical resistance training, you know, you probably don't need to go overboard with the salt. And then, you know, the last thing I would say is just pay attention to your body. You know, see how you feel. And if you're not sure, you know, talk to a qualified sports nutritionist. You know, get some personalized advice. Yeah, great advice, great advice. So what's the big takeaway here for anyone?
