Search “how much sodium per hour” on Google. Look at the answers.
- One site tells you 300 mg.
- Another says 1,000 mg.
- A third tells you to drink and not worry about it.
No one talks about your sweat, which changes everything.
One Maple MC2 packet provides sodium, potassium, and calcium, along with 28 g of maple carbohydrates. This guide gives you guidelines based on exercise duration, then a method to determine how many electrolytes you need per hour.
How many electrolytes you need per hour depends first on your sweat
The amount of sodium lost in sweat varies widely from person to person, according to a review published in Sports Medicine. It also varies for the same person, by about 11 to 17% from one day to the next.
Two runners doing the same run therefore do not lose the same amount of salt.
Several factors affect your number.
- Your sweat volume: the more you sweat, the more sodium you lose.
- Heat: warmer months are associated with a lower concentration of sodium in sweat because your body adapts.
- Duration: losses accumulate hour after hour.
Guidelines by exercise duration
There is still a starting point. We look at it by exercise duration.
Key takeaway
According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) guidelines, water is enough for under 60 minutes. Beyond that threshold, aim for 30 to 60 g of carbohydrates per hour.
After 2 hours of exercise, add 300 to 600 mg of sodium per hour, then adjust based on your sweat.
| Exercise duration | Carbohydrates per hour | Sodium per hour | In Maple MC2 packets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 60 min | Water is enough | No specific intake | None |
| 60 to 120 min | 30 to 60 g | Light intake | 1 packet per hour |
| Over 2 h | 30 to 60 g | 300 to 600 mg | 1 to 2 packets per hour |
These numbers are starting points to adjust to your digestive tolerance.
What that looks like in Maple MC2 packets
One packet contains 273 mg of sodium, 94 mg of potassium, and 47 mg of calcium. That makes 414 mg of electrolytes and 28 g of carbohydrates for 110 kcal.
- 1 packet per hour: 273 mg of sodium and 28 g of carbohydrates.
- 2 packets per hour: 546 mg of sodium and 56 g of carbohydrates.
Sodium and carbohydrates increase together, since everything comes from the same packet. On a very long run, a gel or a dried fruit adds carbohydrates without adding sodium.
Try the three flavors
Maple, Maple-Blueberry, Maple-Peach. 12 packets to find your favorite.
Discovery Box | $29.99How to find your own number of electrolytes per hour
The weighing test remains the simplest method. Do it once on a run of at least 60 minutes.
- Weigh yourself on an empty stomach, without clothes, just before leaving.
- Do your run without drinking, or carefully note what you drink.
- Weigh yourself again right after, before drinking or eating.
- Count about 1 liter of sweat per kilo lost.
If you lose more than 1 to 1.5% of your weight, you sweat a lot for that exercise duration. Then aim for the top of the sodium range.
Before exercise
Arrive hydrated. One packet in the hour before a long run gives you a base of sodium and carbohydrates.
During exercise, how many electrolytes per hour
Drink in small, regular sips. Count your packets per hour rather than per run.
After exercise
Take one packet with a meal of carbohydrates and protein in the hour that follows. It helps your recovery before the next session.
Heat, cold, and heavy sweaters
Your intake changes with the conditions.
- Summer and humidity: your sweating increases, even on short runs. Aim for the top of the range.
- Winter: the risk decreases during exercise. Thirst is less noticeable, so many runners underestimate their needs between sessions.
- Heavy sweater: white salt traces on your shirt are a sign. Aim for 600 mg per hour on runs lasting over 2 hours.
Drinking more than your losses dilutes the sodium in your blood, a documented risk on efforts lasting over 2 hours.
Replace what you lose.
Where it applies according to your distance
Your intake plan is built on your training runs. We have detailed each distance.
- The 5k and the 10k, where the long run often passes the 60-minute threshold.
- The half-marathon, where the intake increases with the duration of your runs.
- The guide by distance, to see how your needs evolve.
To compare products with each other, our comparison of hydration drinks for runners covers the options.
Frequently asked questions
In summary
The answers online range from 300 to 1,000 mg of sodium per hour. Your number depends on your sweat, the heat, and the duration of your exercise.
With the weighing test and the guidelines in the table, you set your number of electrolytes per hour. Discover Maple, Maple-Blueberry, Maple-Peach or the Discovery Box, and find the entire range in the sports drink for runners collection.
