Should sports scientists and coaches provide sodium supplementation to professional soccer players? Insights from English premier league players

Foo, WL, Tester, E, Markakis, P, Sabou, V, Close, GL ORCID: 0000-0002-7210-9553, McCubbin, AJ and Morton, JP ORCID: 0000-0003-2776-2542 (2025) Should sports scientists and coaches provide sodium supplementation to professional soccer players? Insights from English premier league players. International Journal of Sports Science and Coaching, 20 (6). pp. 2365-2376. ISSN 1747-9541

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Abstract

We assessed the fluid balance, whole body sweat rate (WBSR) and sweat sodium concentration ([Na+]sweat) of English Premier League (EPL) soccer players during pre-season training and used predictive modelling to determine theoretical changes in plasma sodium concentration ([Na+]plasma). Players (25 ± 4 years, 1.83 ± 0.06 m, 81.1 ± 7.4 kg) were monitored during two training sessions (n = 14, Session 1; n = 17, Session 2) in temperate climates (19–23°C, 45–67% relative humidity). Training load was monitored via global positioning system, sweat loss was assessed from changes in body mass (BM) after correcting for fluid intake, and [Na+]sweat was measured using absorbent patches. Mean BM loss was 1.08 ± 0.72% and 1.28 ± 0.65%, with sweat losses of 1.67 ± 0.49 L and 1.88 ± 0.59 L in Sessions 1 and 2, respectively. Mean [Na+]sweat was 51.3 ± 14.6 mmol·L−1 (Session 1) and 39.9 ± 15.3 mmol·L−1 (Session 2), with total sodium losses of 1929 ± 771 mg and 1730 ± 813 mg, respectively. Predictive modelling indicated 4/14 (∼29%) players in Session 1, and 1/17 (∼6%) players in Session 2, would have mildly reduced [Na+]plasma following training (all <2 mmol·L−1), due to either near-complete fluid replacement or high [Na+]sweat. Although substantial interindividual variations were observed in fluid and sodium balance among players, modelling indicates that Na+ supplementation is unnecessary for soccer players during training in a temperate climate. Measuring [Na+]sweat is therefore unlikely to inform practical recommendations under these conditions.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Association football; fluid balance; hydration; pre-season training; sweat; 32 Biomedical and Clinical Sciences; 42 Health Sciences; 4207 Sports Science and Exercise; 11 Medical and Health Sciences; 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences; 32 Biomedical and clinical sciences; 42 Health sciences; 52 Psychology
Subjects:	T Technology > TX Home economics > TX341 Nutrition. Foods and food supply G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GV Recreation Leisure > GV561 Sports > GV711 Coaching G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GV Recreation Leisure > GV561 Sports
Divisions:	Sport and Exercise Sciences
Publisher:	SAGE
Date of acceptance:	13 June 2025
Date of first compliant Open Access:	11 August 2026
Date Deposited:	11 Aug 2026 09:56
Last Modified:	11 Aug 2026 09:56
DOI or ID number:	10.1177/17479541251353603
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/29140

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