Using Salt to Optimize Mental & Physical Performance

These are my notes from The Huberman Lab Podcast episode #63. I am a BIG fan of Dr. Huberman and his podcast.

This episode helps us understand how sodium and other electrolytes impact our body and our overall health. Also, it provides a general guidance to know how much salt to consume depending on some crucial factors.

Main Takeaways

It is impossible to give a one size fits all recommendation, but some general recommendations are:

• 3.2g to 4.8g of sodium… 1.5–2 Teaspoons of salt per day (10grams approx.).
• 4g of potassium.
• 400mg of magnesium.

Factors to consider what is the ideal salt intake:

• Fluid intake.
• Diet (High or low carb, Intermittent Fasting).
• Amount of caffeine you consume.
• Electrolytes in general.
• Exercise.

The “Salt System”

The salt system (cells and connections in the brain and body that mediate salt craving and avoidance) regulates many aspects of health and performance.

Salt regulates:

• Fluid balance,
• the desire for salt itself,
• the craving of other nutrients.

There is a homeostatically driven salt appetite. If you have low levels of sodium, you’ll crave it. And if you have high levels, you are not.

1g of salt = 388mg of sodium

What you crave is part of the conscious experience of the taste but also the unconscious experience regulated by the neuropod cells.

Sugar cravings can be reduced with salt (provided it’s from unprocessed foods).

Action potential: firing of electrical activity by neurons. It’s the fundamental way by which neurons communicate with one another.

Sodium rushing into the cell is the way that neurons communicate with one another.

If you drink too much water, you can kill yourself. You’ll excrete a lot of sodium very quickly and neurons won’t be able to fire action potentials. So dehydration leads to confusion and lack of coordination.

BRAIN REGIONS

There are brain regions that sense the levels of salt in our body.

Blood brain barrier (BBB): makes it hard for substances to pass into the brain unless they are very small or critically required for brain function.

The brain can’t regenerate after injury, so having a BBB is very useful and important.

However, there are some brain regions in which this fence is weaker. The areas of the brain that monitor salt balance reside in these sets of neurons that are on the other side of these weak fences.

Organum vasculosum of the lamina terminalis (OVLT)

It is a circumventricular organ. The circumventricular organs (CVO) are structures that permit hormones to leave the brain without disrupting the BBB and permit substances that do not cross the BBB to trigger changes in brain function.

The OVLT senses the content of the blood and send signal to other brain areas that can release hormones. It sets off the cascade to regulate the salt balance. If the OVLT doesn’t work we are dead.

Thirst

We get thirsty because neurons in the OVLT are detecting changes in the bloodstream and set off certain events that makes us want to drink more fluids.

Two kind of thirst:

• Osmotic thirst: has to do with a very high concentration of salt. OVLT senses the osmolarity (salt concentration in the blood) of the blood and when the osmolarity is high, it activates neurons that send electrical signals to other brain areas. Then, vasopressin is released from the posterior pituitary.
• Hypovolemic thirst: associated with a drop in blood pressure. Baroreceptors respond to changes in blood pressure. When this happens there is a desire to drink more (or less).

Both types of thirst are not only about seeking water, but also about seeking salt (balance osmolarity). Sodium can help retain water. By having salt in our system the body can function adequately. Sodium and water work together.

SALT INTAKE

A high salt diet can be bad for various organs and is detrimental for brain health and function. Fluid balance is crucial. If the salt concentration is too high, neurons suffer. If it’s too low, the cells can shrink because water is pulled away from cells, and the brain suffers as well.

Overconsumption and under consumption is bad.

Study show that 4–5g of sodium seems very good.

For people with low blood pressure, increasing salt can be beneficial.

Salt is homeostatically regulated. If you are craving salt, you probably need it.

Galpin equation for knowing how much water to drink during exercise: Bodyweight (in pounds)/30 = Ounces for every 15 minutes of exercise.

Make sure that when you begin and activity (cognitive or physical) you are sufficiently hydrated and throughout the activity hydrate properly (not only water, but also electrolytes).

Stress and anxiety

Low dietary sodium can exacerbate anxiety. The stress system is designed to deal with challenges.

With low levels of sodium, our ability to meet stress challenges is impaired. If you feel anxious, a slight increase of sodium intake can stabilize blood pressure and reduce anxiety and stress.

Electrolytes: Magnesium and Potassium

Magnesium is an extremely important mineral. It’s involved in hundreds of chemical reactions in your body and helps you maintain good health.

Sources of magnesium: Dark Chocolate, Avocados, Nuts, Legumes, Tofu, Seeds, Whole Grains, Bananas, Leafy Greens.

Different types of Magnesium:

• Magnesium malate: reduces muscle soreness
• Magnesium threonate (30 minutes before bed time): promotes transition into sleep, and can support cognitive function and longevity.
• Magnesium citrate: effective laxative.

Potassium is a vital mineral and electrolyte that your body needs to maintain normal blood pressure, transport nutrients into your cells, and support healthy nerve and muscle function.

Sources of potassium: Avocados, Sweet Potatoes, Spinach, Watermelon, Beans, Legumes, Butternut Squash.

Sodium and potassium work very closely with one another.

DIETS

Carbs hold water in the body.

In a Low carb diet you are going to excrete more water. So if you are in a low carb diet you need to make sure you are ingesting the right amounts of electrolytes, maybe supplementing.

If you are in a High carb diet, you might need to ingest LESS potassium and sodium.

Intermittent fasting. Caffeine is a diuretic. In the non eating window, if you are consuming caffeinated drinks (coffee, tea, mate) you are excreting sodium. So it’s useful to get enough salt and water.

Rule of thumb: For every ounce of caffeinated drink, consume one and a half times as much water.

I hope you found this useful, but I still highly recommend watching the entire episode.

Let me know if you want me to keep posting these notes! You can check out the ones that are already published as well.

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