Case Study (Diagnostic): Extremely Salty Sweater Triathlete Losses 1-day Worth Of Sodium In Just 1-Hour

Problem

This Triathlete frequently experienced cramps, particularly around the 90-minute mark in races.

They had also happened across different triathlon segments: after the swim, before the bike, and during the run.

The goal was clear: Stop the cramps by improving race-day hydration, sodium, and nutrition strategy.

Diagnostic

The sweat test revealed an extremely high sodium losses in sweat:

• Sodium loss per liter of sweat 1500 mg

• Fluid loss: 1.35 liters per hour , 2.1% of his bodyweight

• Total sodium loss: 2025mg per hour

This was extremely high.

His previous race data confirmed this as well.

During MetaSprint, he consumed about 750mg of sodium per hour and experienced cramps after the swim and twice while running.

At Ironman Western Australia, he consumed 1250mg of sodium per hour, but a crash during the bike leg prevented him from properly testing the solution.

Thus, the problem wasn't just about "taking electrolytes" - it was ensuring his sodium and fluid intake matched his high sweat-loss profile.

Solution

Based on his sweat data, the recommendation was to start closer to 1,600 sodium/hour especially for long or hot race conditions, then adjust based on tolerance and gut comfort.

To make this practical, sodium should come from both drink mix and capsules, instead of making one bottle overly salty.

For DIY mixes, sodium citrate was recommended over table salt because it is less salty and easier to tolerate.

Fluid intake also needed to increase, because losing 1.35L/hour with no intake pushed him into dehydration.

The aim was not to replace everything perfectly, but to reduce the gap enough to delay fatigue, cramping risk, and performance drop-off.

Key Takeaway

Solutions should not be built on guesswork.

Without testing, the athlete could have kept trial-and-erroring electrolyte amounts - increasing the duration and frustration of cramping during races.