Sweat Testing
More about Advanced Sweat Testing
Finding out how much sodium you or your athletes lose in your/their individual sweat and understanding why sodium is crucial to performing at ones best.
The method we use makes use of electrodes applied to the skin to mimic the effect of certain neurotransmitters that stimulate the sweat glands and allow sweat samples to be collected ‘at rest’.
In recent years this type of testing has been used increasingly frequently with athletes (including Precision Hydration) because of the many advantages that at-rest testing offers over exercise-based methods.
Non-exercise sweat testing has the advantage of being less time consuming and it doesn't require significant exertion. Also, as the collection and analysis process are very controlled and simple, the results are extremely reliable and reproducible with a low risk of ‘user error’ in administering the test.
Results are also usually available immediately in most cases, getting actionable data to athletes faster.
Book your Sweat Test consult HERE!
Here’s why sodium is so crucial to performing at your best:
● Everyone loses a different amount of sodium in their sweat, from as little as 200mg per liter of sweat to as much as 2,000mg per 1Ltr!
● This is largely genetically determined. So, a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to hydration just doesn’t work.
● Most sports drinks (powerade, energade etc) contain very small amounts of sodium per Litre, whereas the average athlete loses about 950mg per liter!
● Maintaining the sodium levels in your blood is crucial to performing at your best when you’re sweating for long periods.
● Sodium helps you absorb and retain fluid, which keeps your blood volume up, reducing cardiovascular strain and fatigue.
● It can also help you avoid cramp.
● Just drinking water when you’re sweating over long periods dilutes your sodium levels, which can really impact your performance and could lead to hyponatremia. A recent study found 10% of athletes had hyponatremia at the end of an Ironman!
Maintaining blood sodium levels within a healthy range is critical to homeostasis and optimal bodily function. When blood sodium levels drop below this ideal range, initial symptoms can possibly include:
● Nausea
● Lethargy
● Muscle cramps
● Weakness/fatigue
● Headaches
● Restlessness
● Lack of focus
Getting hydration right has been proven to improve performance, with one study showing athletes taking in the right amount of sodium finishing a half Ironman an average of 26 minutes faster than those who didn’t!
We work with Coaches, Performance Managers and individual athletes. For pricing visit the Hydration category of the webstore and reach out to us using the link below:
Reach out to us and make appointment today
Precision Hydration Virtual Sweat test
Not quite ready for an advanced in person sweat test? Precision Fuel & Hydration created a virtual online sweat test for different sports and athletes to get a view of their estimate electrolyte needs.
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