The Salt Tablet Myth

Posted by Rae Schwarz Apr 13, 2007

As someone who camps in the desert regularly, I've heard the old adage about taking salt tablets. Now, I'd always presumed that the salt just made you retain water to help prevent dehydration. I personally usually carry around some packets of electrolyte powder and make sure to drink a pint of water with one packet in it at some point each day. However, I just read some interesting info that's got me thinking I might be bringing some salt along for my trip in two weeks.

I just finished reading The Practical Handbook of Plant Alchemy: An Herbalist's Guide to Preparing Medicinal Essences, Tinctures, and Elixirs by Manfred M. Junius. He's studied both European alchemy and Indian ayurvedic medicine. I've been interested in making tinctures from herbs in my yard and this book has been a great resource.

In one chapter, Junius talks about being in India and how all manner of food he eats was salted. At first he found the taste a bit strange, but then he really liked how sweet things might have a touch of salt on them. He also noticed that many laborers were still taking salt tablets, much like the 19th century British troops who were sent to India. Through conversations with his teachers, he learned that it wasn't about water retention, but in fact, the salt was used by the body as part of an endothermic reaction, essentially helping to release heat and keep you cooler. The book provides a more complex chemical explanation that that for those of you who are curious.

As I've never been one who has done all that well in high temp environments, I'm really tempted to give this a try this year.