Effects of Oral Salt Supplementation on Physical Performance During a Half-ironman

Participants were provided with 3 plastic bags each one containing 4 white capsules (e.g., a total of 12 capsules). In the salt group, the capsules were filled with a commercially available product that contains buffered electrolyte salts (Saltstick caps, Saltstick, California US). The total amount of electrolytes provided in the salt group was: 2580 mg of sodium (113 mmol), 3979 mg of chloride (112 mmol), 756 mg of potassium (19.3 mmol) and 132 mg of magnesium (5.4 mmol). In the control group, participants received the same number of capsules with the exact same appearance but filled with an isocaloric placebo (cellulose). All the participants were instructed to ingest the contents of the first bag in the transition between the swimming and cycling sections, the second bag around the middle of the cycling leg and the third bag during the transition between the cycling and running sections.