Sodium should be added to beverages during events lasting longer than how many hours?

Sodium is an essential electrolyte that helps maintain fluid balance, nerve function, and muscle contractions. During prolonged physical activities or events, such as endurance sports, athletes can lose significant amounts of sodium through sweat. If events last longer than two hours, there is a heightened risk of hyponatremia, which occurs when sodium levels drop too low, potentially resulting in serious health implications.

Adding sodium to beverages consumed during such events helps to replenish the lost electrolyte, ensuring that athletes can maintain optimal performance and hydration. For activities longer than two hours, the body's requirement for sodium increases, making its inclusion in hydration strategies particularly important to support endurance and overall physical function. Thus, including sodium in beverage formulations for events extending beyond this duration becomes crucial for athlete safety and performance maintenance.