Supplementing with electrolytes might be necessary depending on your circumstances. But most people can stay hydrated with plain water and cover off daily electrolyte needs with a healthy diet.kieferpix/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Athletes have long relied on electrolytes to maintain proper hydration and enhance their physical performance.
Recently, though, these hydration-promoting minerals have become increasingly popular among wellness enthusiasts.
Incorporating electrolytes into your daily wellness routine – whether you hit the gym hard or not – is claimed to boost energy, beat brain fog, balance hormones, promote glowing skin and stronger hair, and even help with hangovers.
But is it really necessary to take a daily electrolyte supplement to stay well hydrated? What’s wrong with plain water?
Here’s a primer on electrolytes – what they do in the body, where to find them and who can benefit from consuming extra.
Electrolyte basics
Electrolytes are minerals that, when dissolved in fluids (such as water and blood), carry an electrical charge. They include sodium, chloride, potassium, calcium, magnesium and phosphate.
The electrical signals generated from electrolytes are essential for maintaining fluid balance in the body, facilitating muscle contraction and nerve transmission, regulating heart rhythm and blood pressure, and supporting brain function.
To do their critical jobs, though, electrolytes in the body need to be kept in balance.
When you sweat, you lose both fluid and electrolytes, especially sodium and chloride. And the more you sweat, the more electrolytes you lose.
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The body has highly evolved systems to maintain electrolyte balance.
The gastrointestinal tract continually pours electrolytes into the stomach and small intestine, along with the digestive juices it secretes. It then reabsorbs these minerals in the colon as needed.
Healthy kidneys also reabsorb electrolytes, along with water, back into the bloodstream as needed. When our bodies have too much of a particular electrolyte, the kidneys release the excess into the urine.
Sources of electrolytes
You’ll find plenty of key electrolytes in vegetables, fruit, whole grains, pulses, whole grains, nuts and seeds.
Exceptional sources include bananas, cantaloupe, spinach, white kidney beans, coconut water (potassium), milk, yogurt, fortified non-dairy beverages (calcium), as well as pumpkin seeds, almonds, black beans and quinoa (magnesium).
Many foods naturally contain sodium, such as vegetables, beef, chicken, fish, milk and cheese. Sodium is also added to countless processed foods.
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Sports drinks and enhanced waters contain added electrolytes. For example, across original, reduced sugar and sugar-free varieties of Gatorade, an eight-ounce serving contains 253 mg of sodium and 73 mg of potassium.
Electrolyte powders and tablets that you mix into water have become popular options to supplement daily hydration, whether you exercise or not.
These electrolyte replacements typically deliver between 140 and 1000 mg of sodium per serving, along with smaller amounts of calcium, potassium and magnesium. Some also contain sugar to fuel exercise.
For perspective, healthy adults need 1500 mg of sodium each day; the safe upper daily limit is 2300 mg. According to Health Canada, most Canadians (six out of 10) consume too much sodium, an average of 2,760 mg per day. That amount is even higher among male teens (3320 mg), as well as males aged 19 to 50.
When electrolyte drinks are helpful
Electrolyte supplements are beneficial when water alone isn’t enough to maintain hydration and electrolyte balance.
Losing too much fluid and electrolytes can lead to lightheadedness, fatigue, headache, muscle cramps, flushed skin, dry mouth and more serious health consequences.
How much you sweat and the amount of sodium in your sweat help to determine the need for additional electrolytes.
Heavy sweaters and salty sweaters (people who have a high concentration of salt in their sweat) lose more electrolytes through perspiration.
Sweat that burns your eyes, tastes very salty or leaves white marks on clothing when it dries are signs your body is losing a lot of sodium and chloride. To evaluate electrolyte needs, athletes can have their sweat rate and sweat sodium concentration measured at a performance lab.
If you exercise, consider the intensity and duration of your activity, as well as your environment. Prolonged vigorous-intensity exercise, especially in hot, humid weather, requires more fluid and electrolytes.
Consume electrolytes one to two hours before, during and after intense workouts that last longer than an hour. Reach for electrolyte-rich post-workout snacks such as bananas, oranges, yogurt and salted nuts to help replenish the minerals.
If you’re naturally a heavy or salty sweater, taking electrolytes before and during moderate-intensity exercise may be needed to help maintain your levels.
Consuming extra electrolytes is also worth considering if you work long hours outdoors in the heat.
Electrolyte supplements can be helpful during an illness that depletes the minerals through symptoms such as fever, diarrhea or vomiting.
What about the rest of us?
If you don’t fall into one of the categories above, you don’t need to take additional electrolytes.
You can stay hydrated with plain water and cover off your daily electrolyte needs with a healthy diet.
That’s said, if you like the taste of flavoured electrolyte drinks, there are few downsides to enjoying one a day.
However, I recommend avoiding electrolyte supplements that are very high in sodium and contain added sugar.
People who have kidney disease, high blood pressure or who are pregnant should be cautious about taking electrolytes. It’s best to consult your doctor since these conditions can affect electrolyte balance.
Leslie Beck, a Toronto-based private practice dietitian, is director of food and nutrition at Medcan. Follow her on X @LeslieBeckRD
