Salt may help in context; it is not a default dose
Twenty-six experienced triathletes were randomised to salt or placebo before and during a real half-Ironman. The salt group recorded a lower total race time and higher post-race sodium and chloride, with a tendency toward less body-mass loss; strength and jump reductions were similar between groups.
This is useful field evidence that sodium strategy can matter, but the tested amount should not be copied blindly. Practise a complete plan that accounts for product sodium, fluid, duration, heat, sweat experience and gastrointestinal tolerance, and avoid stacking supplements without calculating the total.
The trial was small and one protocol in one race context cannot establish a universal requirement. Athletes with medical conditions affected by sodium or fluid should seek clinical guidance. Verify the intervention in the PubMed record.