Cutting salt entirely can hurt people who train

Sodium isn't the enemy if you're sweating heavily during training

Decades of public health messaging against salt has mainly targeted sedentary people eating too much processed food, where sodium genuinely often exceeds reasonable levels. But for people who train actively, especially in heat or during long sessions with heavy sweating, the picture is different: sodium is a key electrolyte lost through sweat, and a deficit can cause cramping, dizziness, and reduced performance well before classic dehydration sets in.

Completely or excessively restricting salt in someone who trains actively can disrupt fluid balance: sodium helps hold water in the bloodstream and cells, and a shortage combined with heavy sweating can push toward a condition resembling diluted blood (hyponatremia), especially if the person is also compensating for fluid loss with a lot of plain water and no electrolytes.

That doesn't mean salting everything without limit — for most moderately active people, ordinary salt intake in a balanced diet is enough. But anyone who trains intensely and for a long time on a regular basis, especially in hot climates, has good reason not to fear sodium, and might reasonably include electrolyte drinks or slightly salted food on days of especially heavy sweating rather than following general low-salt guidance meant for a sedentary lifestyle.