Mineral salts: what they are
I mineral salts they are substances that are usually assimilated with the diet but which are not necessarily taken in saline form. They are molecules that the body cannot do without and that can only be taken with food.
There are inorganic molecules as, unlike organic ones, such as, first of all, carbohydrates, they are devoid of carbon atoms.
Their main functions are two:
> They regulate the hydro-salt balance, allowing a good state of health of our cells and tissues;
> They are not used directly to produce energy but help our enzymes to obtain it from macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins and lipids).
Mineral salts are classified, based on the quantity the body needs, into:
> macronutrients (you must take at least 100 mg per day);
> microelements (from 1 to 100 mg per day);
> oligolements (to be taken in quantities always less than 200 mg per day because, in higher dosages, they could be toxic).
The role of mineral salts in sports
The nutritional needs in the post workout depend a lot on the type of physical activity just made and the duration of the latter.
Obviously after strenuous physical activity, large losses of liquids with sweat are also accompanied by a loss of mineral salts, so these must be reintegrated quickly with adequate saline drinks, also rich in vitamins.
The faster we replenish these substances, the faster the basic reserves are replenished which are essential to reduce the accumulation of acid metabolic waste deposited in the tissues after physical activity.
A sportsman produces more free radicals as it "burns" more energy than normal and consequently needs a greater supply of antioxidants and protective nutrients.
How to properly integrate mineral salts
Explosive physical activities (for example, short distance running, weight lifting, short distance swimming), can lead to anhigh magnesium demand, whose pre-training or competition integration can be useful.
For the endurance sports or long-lasting, on the contrary, the loss of mineral salts is large, through sweat and not only: in this case, a multi saline supplement comprising a pool of mineral salts it could be the best strategy to apply both during the effort and immediately after.
However, it must be remembered that mineral salts exist in large quantities in fruit and vegetables but also in many other foods, therefore a good snack pre workout, based on fruit and dried fruitthe post workout a basis of vegetables and a piece of Parmesan, could make up for the shortcomings, always accompanied by a good amount of water.
