Sodium Chloride Sweat Testing

   Just a 2% loss in body weight can result in a 10-20% reduction in athletic performance!

The body uses water to maintain temperature, remove waste and to lubricate the joints. When water leaving the body is greater than the amount consumed, dehydration occurs. Athletes are at higher risk for dehydration due to high training frequency, intensity, and duration. The loss of water through sweat, otherwise known as thermoregulatory sweating, without appropriate fluid and electrolyte repletion results in a water and electrolyte imbalance that can cause negative performance outcomes, such as muscle cramps, muscle spasms, muscle weakness, headache/dizziness, confusion and impaired reaction time. 

Sweat rate and sweat electrolyte concentrations vary between and among individuals. Because of this, fluid replacement strategies must be tailored to the athlete regarding their specific training regimen and competition environment. In order to ensure an athlete is properly hydrating during and after exercise, sodium chloride sweat tests can be performed to estimate fluid and electrolyte losses during exercise (measuring the amount of sodium lost per pound of sweat).