• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Breaking Muscle

Breaking Muscle

Breaking Muscle

  • Fitness
  • Workouts
    • Best Shoulder Workouts
    • Best Chest Workouts
    • Best Leg Workouts
    • Best Leg Exercises
    • Best Biceps Exercises
    • Best Kettlebell Exercises
    • Best Back Workouts
    • Best HIIT Workouts
    • Best Triceps Exercises
    • Best Arm Workouts
  • Reviews
    • Supplements
      • Best Pre-Workout
      • Best Bodybuilding Supplements
      • Best Supplements for Weight Loss
      • Best Creatine
      • Best BCAAs
      • Best Multivitamin for Men
      • Best Collagen Supplement
      • Best Probiotic
      • Best Non-Stim Pre-Workout
      • Best Magnesium Supplements
      • Athletic Greens AG1 Review
    • Protein
      • Best Protein Powder
      • Best Whey Protein
      • Best Protein Powders for Muscle Gain
      • Best Mass Gainer
      • Best Protein Shakes
      • Best Organic Protein Powder
      • Best Pea Protein Powder
      • Best Protein Bars
    • Strength Equipment
      • Best Home Gym Equipment
      • Best Squat Racks
      • Best Barbells
      • Best Weightlifting Belts
      • Best Weight Plates
      • Best Weight Benches
      • Best Dumbbells
      • Best Adjustable Dumbbells
      • Best Kettlebells
      • Best Home Gym Machines
      • Best Resistance Bands
      • Best Cable Machines
      • Best Trap Bars
      • The Best Pull-Up Bar
    • Cardio Equipment
      • Best Cardio Machines
      • Best Rowing Machines
      • Best Treadmills
      • Best Weighted Vests
  • News
  • Exercise Guides
    • Legs
      • Back Squat
      • Bulgarian Split Squat
      • Goblet Squat
      • Zercher Squat
      • Standing Calf Raise
      • Hack Squat
    • Chest
      • Bench Press
      • Dumbbell Bench Press
      • Close-Grip Bench Press
      • Incline Bench Press
    • Shoulders
      • Overhead Dumbbell Press
      • Lateral Raise
    • Arms
      • Chin-Up
      • Weighted Pull-Up
      • Triceps Pushdown
    • Back
      • Deadlift
      • Trap Bar Deadlift
      • Lat Pulldown
      • Inverted Row
      • Bent-Over Barbell Row
      • Single-Arm Dumbbell Row
      • Pendlay Row
Fitness

Cutting Weight? Electrolyte Replacement Beverages Help

If you plan to cut weight through fluid and calorie restriction, your water and electrolyte levels each need to be restored.

Doug Dupont

Written by Doug Dupont Last updated on October 8, 2014

Weight cutting is a common practice in many sports. In a recent Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research article, researchers examined the role of electrolyte beverages in replenishing potassium, sodium, and chloride after 24 hours of calorie and fluid restriction.

The Importance of Electrolytes

Electrolyte balance in the body may be affected differently depending on what kind of weight cutting you do. Specifically, two electrolytes, sodium and chloride, can become imbalanced during extended periods of fluid restriction.

Not only are sodium and chloride lost rapidly, but so is potassium. As the major positively charged electrolyte inside cells, potassium is important for health and energy. It is also partially responsible for the fluid volume inside cells. For this reason, the researchers in the new study measured both sodium and potassium balance.

Study Design

In the new study, twelve men and women had their urine tested on three different occasions for volume and electrolyte balance. After the test, they ate and drank very little for 24 hours. After the 24-hour period, they provided another urine sample once every hour. They also consumed one of three different beverages in a random order:

  1. A calorie-free flavored water was the placebo.
  2. The same flavored beverage, but with table salt in it at the amount of 50mmol/liter, which is quite a bit.
  3. A beverage with potassium chloride in it instead of the sodium chloride, in the amount of 30 mmol/liter.

The drinks were divided into six servings, which the participants consumed every twenty minutes. 

Results

The 24-hour period of fluid and food restriction resulted in an average of 2.1% decrease in body mass. As a result, the fluid balance of all three electrolytes was also severely disrupted.

When consuming each beverage, the amount of urine produced following the recovery period was highest with the placebo drink, followed by the potassium drink, and then lowest with the sodium drink. This means that the salt drink was the best at helping the body retain fluid, although the potassium drink was better than the placebo. This is important for speeding up the absorption of both fluids and electrolytes after a weight cut.

Not surprisingly, the potassium drink also helped restore potassium balance, and the sodium drink restored sodium. Both of the beverages also balanced chloride levels.

Ultimately, if you plan to cut weight through fluid and calorie restriction, your water levels and electrolyte levels each need to be restored. The researchers recommended consuming food in addition to at least a sodium replacement drink. Both sodium and potassium might be even better.

References:

1. Lewis James, et. al., “Effect of electrolyte addition to rehydration drinks consumed after severe fluid and energy restriction,” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000000657

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

Doug Dupont

About Doug Dupont

Having grown up at the foot of a forest covered mountain in rural Vermont, Doug was active from a very young age. Hiking, running, and climbing were a part of everyday life in the Green Mountains. This culture of exercise led to dabbling in martial arts as a teen, and also getting work in a local powerlifting focused gym. Doug continued to pursue knowledge and training in exercise, becoming a certified personal trainer while still a teenager. Once in college he began his hand at the business side of fitness, taking a management position at a large local gym. During that time he became a founding member of the UVM Brazilian Jiu Jitsu club, and was the first among their competition team. After only a few months he was assisting in coaching, and ran conditioning program for the club.

Out of college Doug set up his own training center. He grew his list of clientele including several professional MMA athletes, eventually going so far as to corner a world title fight. He has continued ­­­to develop his business into today.

View All Articles

Recommended Articles

cutting weight, how to cut weight, cut weight safely, best way to cut weight
How to Cut Weight the Right Way
martial arts, wrestling, weight cutting, dehdydration
Rehydration After Weight Cutting: Water Doesn’t Cut It
bjj, brazilian jiu jitsu, bjj competition, cutting weight, cutting weight bjj
Making Weight in the Real World: How to Cut Weight When Life is Busy
weight cutting, making weight, cutting weight, mma, fighting, kickboxing
Making Weight: Why Fighters Cut Weight and 3 Tips for Doing It

Primary Sidebar

Latest Articles

Samson Dauda Trains Chest and Calves with Classic Physique Olympia Competitor Michael Daboul 

Malcolm Cooper Wins 2023 WNBF Pro Universe, Earns Mr. Universe Title

Best Protein Bars for Weight Loss, Muscle Gain, and More (2023)

How to Become a Personal Trainer in 2023

Latest Reviews

Best Magnesium Supplements of 2023 for Better Sleep, Leg Cramps, and More

Best Budget Barbells of 2023 for CrossFit, Powerlifting, and More

Best Cable Machines for Home Gyms of 2023 (Wall-Mounted, Compact, Budget-Friendly)

The Best Pull-Up Bar of 2023, According to a Strength and Conditioning Coach

woman lifting barbell

Be the smartest person in your gym

The Breaking Muscle newsletter is everything you need to know about strength in a 3 minute read.

I WANT IN!

Breaking Muscle is the fitness world’s preeminent destination for timely, high-quality information on exercise, fitness, health, and nutrition. Our audience encompasses the entire spectrum of the fitness community: consumers, aficionados, fitness professionals, and business owners. We seek to inform, educate and advocate for this community.

  • Reviews
  • Healthy Eating
  • Workouts
  • Fitness
  • News

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS Feed

© 2023 · Breaking Muscle · Terms of Use · Privacy Policy · Affiliate Disclaimer · Accessibility · About