How Much Salt to Add to Water for Optimal Hydration

Ever wondered how much salt to add to water for optimal hydration? A popular social media trend suggests that adding a little salt to water can help you hydrate better. Some influencers claim the electrolytes in salt help the body retain water better, preventing dehydration and potentially hydrating you better than plain water. 

When you drink water, it enters your bloodstream and travels to your body’s cells, where it assists with important body functions. For water to work effectively in your cells, it needs a proper balance of electrolytes, and sodium is a crucial part of that balance. Even slight dehydration can negatively impact brain function, according to scientific evidence (1). Factors that can be negatively impacted include

• Short-term memory

• Focus

• Mood

• Alertness

Adding a small pinch of salt to your glass of water might be helpful, especially if you’re a gym-goer or an athlete. It helps replace the electrolytes you lose during intense training or workouts, which can improve how well your body absorbs water and help prevent dehydration. Human water needs aren’t based on a minimum amount because factors like climate, physical activity, and diet can change how much water we require.

Wondering how much salt to add to water for hydration, and how adding salt helps? Keep reading to learn more. 

Why Add Salt to Water

When it comes to staying well-hydrated during workouts, water alone might not be enough. That's where adding salt or using a hydration powder can be a better choice. 

Electrolytes are important for our bodies to function properly. If these electrolytes are too high or too low, it can cause problems and even lead to serious health issues (2). Sodium, commonly found in salt, is an important electrolyte found outside of cells in your body. It helps keep the right amount of fluid outside cells and controls the electrical charge of cell membranes. 

When sodium levels drop in your body, it can cause symptoms like headaches, confusion, nausea, and weakness. Sweat usually has about 40-60 mmol/L of sodium, which means you can lose around 20-90 mmol of sodium during one workout if you sweat between 0.5 and 1.5 liters per hour (3). To balance the sodium levels in your body, you should increase sodium intake before, during, and after workouts to stay hydrated, replace what’s lost in sweat, and maintain performance.

If your workout lasts more than an hour, try using a hydration powder to help replace the depleted electrolytes. Transparent Labs Hydration Powder comes with the perfect balance of electrolytes to complement your workouts. It’s sugar-free and contains no artificial coloring or sweeteners. It also has coconut water powder, which helps keep you well-hydrated during long workouts or training sessions. You can mix one scoop of hydration powder with 6-8 ounces of water for best results.

While salt in water can help replace sodium lost through sweat, hydration powder offers a more complete solution by giving you a mix of electrolytes and natural ingredients to support your energy and recovery during and after exercise.

How does salt aid hydration and prevent cramping?

Exercise-associated muscle cramps are common in athletes, studies show that it affects about 67% of triathletes during or after training or racing, 18-70% of marathon runners or endurance cyclists, and 30-53% of American football players (4). Results from older studies indicate that using salt tablets or saline drinks (salt in water) greatly reduced the number of cramps in construction workers and miners by helping to manage electrolytes in the body (4). 

This indicates that salt helps maintain hydration and supports muscle performance, making it less likely for cramps to occur. In addition, nerve cells use sodium to create electrical signals that allow them to communicate with other cells. When sodium enters the nerve cells, it triggers an electrical impulse, which then helps transmit signals between the brain and the rest of the body (5). This process is essential for muscle movement, reflexes, and other bodily functions. 

Without enough sodium, nerve cells wouldn't work properly, leading to problems like muscle cramps or weakness. If you engage in a lot of physical activity or suffer from cramps, drinking a glass of hot water with some salt mixed in can help relieve your symptoms.

How Much Salt Should You Add? 

You don't need to add salt to every glass of water you drink throughout the day. You can do this just once or twice a day, depending on how much salt you're already getting from your diet. Drinking salted water once after an intense workout in hot weather is usually enough to replace the sodium lost in sweat. 

When it comes to the quantity, a general guideline is to add 1/4 teaspoon of salt per liter of water. Keeping that in mind, you should only add a pinch of salt to your water to increase your electrolyte levels. You can mix it in either hot or room temperature water. This provides enough sodium to help replenish what is lost through sweat during physical activities. 

Types of Salts

There are different types of salts, and the sodium content in table salt, sea salt, and Kosher salt can differ slightly due to their crystal sizes and how they’re made. 

• Table salt: It's finely ground and often has added iodine. It dissolves quickly in water, and adding 1/4 teaspoon per liter of water provides enough sodium.

• Himalayan pink salt: This salt comes from old salt deposits and has trace minerals that make it pink. Similar to sea salt, it offers extra minerals, but its larger grains might take longer to dissolve.

• Sea salt: It has larger grains and may contain small amounts of minerals. Since the grains are bigger, it has a bit less sodium per teaspoon, so you might need to add a bit more to get the same sodium content.

• Kosher salt: Kosher salt has larger grains as well, which means less sodium per teaspoon compared to table salt. Like sea salt, you may need to use more to get the right balance.

Although 1/4 teaspoon is a useful guideline, you may need to adjust it based on the type of salt and the amount of sodium you obtain from your diet. 

Risks of Adding Too Much Salt

While it's important to keep your fluids and electrolytes balanced, too much sodium from salt can throw this balance off. When you eat a lot of sodium, your body holds onto more water to compensate. This raises blood volume and puts extra strain on your heart and blood vessels. Over time, this can lead to high blood pressure and increase the risk of strokes and heart attacks (6).

The World Health Organization recommends that adults should have less than 2,000 mg of sodium (about 5 grams of salt) and at least 3,510 mg of potassium each day (7). Children should have even less, depending on their energy needs compared to adults.

Research shows that 89% of adults and more than 90% of children consume more sodium than recommended (8). Since salt is already present in most of our daily meals, it’s important to measure your intake and avoid having it in excess. Excess salt consumption leads to both short-term and long-term side effects. 

Short-term Side Effects

Short-term side effects of adding too much salt can make you feel bloated due to water retention or very thirsty after a salty meal. You might notice that you need to urinate more often than usual. It can also lead to swelling or discomfort in areas like the hands, feet, and face.

But these effects usually don’t last long. After drinking several glasses of water and cutting back on salt in future meals, the body gets rid of the extra sodium and returns to a normal state.

Long-term Side Effects

Long-term side effects include increased blood pressure, as too much salt can affect how blood flows through the kidneys, causing them to filter too much and putting extra pressure on them (9). This can increase your risks of developing heart disease or kidney damage. 

Some of the other long-term side effects of high sodium consumption include: 

Osteoporosis: Sodium can cause the body to lose more calcium, and when calcium levels drop, it may lead to lower bone strength (known as bone mineral density). This loss of bone strength is linked to a higher risk of bone fractures, like those seen in osteoporosis (10). So, consuming too much sodium might increase the risk of developing osteoporosis.

Stomach cancer: Studies have shown that a high-sodium diet may increase the risk of developing stomach cancer, especially when combined with a poor diet (11). That's because consuming too much sodium, especially from processed or salty foods, can damage the protective lining of the stomach. Over time, this irritation can lead to inflammation and ulcers, increasing the risk of cancer.
Cognitive decline: Eating or drinking anything in excess tends to be bad for you. While sodium, as an electrolyte, is essential for proper cognitive function in moderation, too much of it can impair cognitive abilities. For example, results from a clinical trial showed lowering sodium intake improved thinking and memory skills over six months, while higher sodium consumption was linked to a decline in cognitive function (12).

How to balance salt intake with hydration needs

• Drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated, especially if you eat foods containing more salt or work out. This helps your body manage sodium levels.

• Regularly check your blood pressure to determine how much salt to include in your diet.

• If you’re not sweating a lot or exercising, plain water is usually enough to stay hydrated. However, if you know you’ll be in a hot environment or are feeling particularly thirsty, adding a little salt can be helpful.

• Focus on whole foods like fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins, which are typically lower in salt compared to processed foods.

The Bottom Line

According to dietary guidelines, adding 1/4 teaspoon of salt to 1 liter of water should be enough for optimal hydration. That means just a pinch of sodium chloride or Himalayan salt can uplevel your drinking water. Drinking salt water helps replace sodium lost through sweat during exercise. Different salts, like table salt and sea salt, can have varying sodium levels, so you might need to adjust the amount while mixing salt and make sure to avoid excess sodium. Staying hydrated is important, especially when eating salty foods or working out. If you do a lot of exercise, it's better to use a hydration powder as it contains all the essential electrolytes in balanced amounts, along with other beneficial ingredients.

FAQs

Is it better to add hydration powder or salt in water for workouts?

Using hydration powder is often better than just salt in water for workouts. Transparent Labs Hydration Powder provides a good balance of all the electrolytes your body needs. It also includes coconut water powder, which helps with hydration naturally. Plus, it has no artificial flavors or colors, making it a healthier choice.

What is the best time to take hydration powder?

The best time to take hydration powder can be before, during, and after exercise. Taking it about 30 minutes before your workout prepares your body. During your workout, it helps keep your electrolytes balanced. Taking it after your workout helps replace lost fluids and electrolytes, supporting recovery. You can adjust the timing based on how intense or long your workouts are. 

Is it okay to drink salted water every day?

Yes, it’s generally fine to drink salted water daily for proper hydration, especially if you engage in long workouts or physical activities or sweat a lot. However, you need to be mindful of your overall salt intake from all your meals, as too much salt in your diet can lead to health issues over time. 

Should I add salt to hot or cold water for hydration?

You can mix salt into either hot or cold water. Just make sure to stir or shake it well so that the salt dissolves completely. This way, you can have the benefits of hydration with added electrolytes, no matter what temperature you prefer your drink.