GLOSSARY

Salt Tablet provides sodium, commonly through sodium chloride, with actual sodium amount distinguished from total salt or capsule mass.

Electrolyte products differ greatly in sodium, other minerals and carbohydrate content. A capsule supplies little or no fluid, and an electrolyte label does not guarantee protection from exercise-associated hyponatremia when drinking is excessive. Glycerol-based hyperhydration strategies can increase fluid retention in specific protocols, but are not routine requirements for every athlete and can cause adverse symptoms. Sodium loading, fluid loading and ordinary rehydration are different interventions. Assess the event, actual losses, health context and current rules before choosing a specialized approach.

Post-exercise rehydration replaces a fluid deficit while accounting for continued losses. Body-mass change measured under comparable conditions provides a practical estimate, but wet clothing, food intake, urine and fuel changes complicate interpretation. Sodium in food or drink helps retain ingested fluid. When rapid replacement is needed, the amount drunk may exceed the measured deficit to compensate for urine losses; this is not an instruction to force unlimited water. Spread intake and assess the actual situation.

Drinking volume and retained volume are different quantities. Rehydration efficiency describes how much of an intake remains in the body over a defined observation period, while net fluid balance also includes losses and the starting deficit. A drink can show high retention without fully correcting the original deficit. Sodium, beverage composition, accompanying food and measurement timing affect interpretation. Restored body mass alone does not prove that every fluid compartment or electrolyte disturbance has normalized.