Salt vital for intense competitions

I've long been intrigued by the effects of salt on the body, and whether the reality is in line with official recommendations.

The NHS Choices website states that adults should eat no more than 6g of salt a day (about a teaspoon) or it could dangerously raise the blood pressure.

Get fit quick products banned

As many as 84 sports supplements have been banned from the shelves of British shops because they contained illegal drugs, regulators announced yesterday.

Regulators say they expect to find more as manufacturers seek to exploit Olympic fever to sell get-fit-quick products.

As well as drugs such as steroids and hormones investigators are searching for dangerous herbal extracts such as ephedrine, synephrine and yohimbine.

Banned products include energy and muscle gain products.
One substance called Celtic Dragon put two men in hospital with severe jaundice and liver damage. It contained adulterated steroids.