Is there any point in taking electrolytes?

Exercise fans swear by them, but we investigate whether we should we really be replenishing our bodies with these essential minerals

by Emily Craig, telegraph.co.uk

A cold, refreshing, glass of water just doesn’t cut it these days. If you’ve been dehydrated after a tummy bug or working out regularly, your water can come super-charged with a sachet of electrolytes promising to help you run faster (or even ease the dreaded hangover after a night out). In fact, they’ve enjoyed such popularity that in 2022, the global demand was valued at £37.6 billion, a number that is expected to increase to £84 billion by 2030.

But what exactly are electrolytes and can they really improve our health?

What are electrolytes?

“Electrolytes are essential minerals found throughout the body and are involved in a whole range of vital physiological processes,” explains Bethan Crouse, a performance nutritionist at Loughborough University. These include muscle contraction, conduction of nerve impulses and keeping up a normal fluid balance between the outside and inside of our cells.

“We regularly lose electrolytes through body fluids like urine and sweat, so ensuring we replace these losses on a daily basis is essential,” she says. Failing to do so can lead to tiredness, muscle weakness and changes in heartbeat.

The main electrolytes in our bodies are sodium (the most abundant electrolyte in our sweat), potassium, calcium and bicarbonate.

We should get all the electrolytes we need from our diet. However, levels can dip in certain circumstances, such as when dehydrated or after intense exercise, which is known as an electrolyte imbalance. This can lead to tiredness, muscle weakness and changes in heartbeat – and this is when replenishing electrolytes is crucial.

How do electrolyte supplements work?

If you need to replenish your electrolyte stores, there are powders, pills, gels and pre-mixed drinks that offer a hit of electrolytes.

“Electrolyte supplements generally provide a concentrated dose of any combination of the four key electrolytes – sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium,” which are depleted when we’re dehydrated, Crouse explains.

“Although the biggest contributor to our body’s ability to effectively rehydrate is the actual volume of fluid consumed, what is in the fluid also matters,” she says.

Adding powder or effervescent tablets to water can make a drink taste better, encouraging us to drink more of it, and can also increase fluid retention, so our body holds onto more of the fluid ingested instead of passing it as urine, Crouse notes.

“Overall, this means we can more effectively rehydrate faster than by drinking plain water alone,” she adds.

What are food sources of electrolytes?

• Fruit and vegetables, particularly bananas, avocado and sweet potato

• Dairy products, such as cheese, yogurt and milk

• Salty foods, such as pretzels, salted nuts and beef jerky

• Seeds and nuts, including peanuts, almonds and cashews

“Electrolytes are widely abundant in lots of different foods we regularly consume, from dairy products, fruit and vegetables, meat and wholegrain products such as bread,” Crouse says.

“Some foods are richer in certain electrolytes than others – for example, milk, cheese, yogurt and fortified soya milk are fantastic sources of calcium,” she notes.

Highly salted foods, such as pretzels, white bread, salted peanuts and beef jerky, are high in sodium, which is particularly useful for replacing sweat lost after a hard exercise session. Crouse says.

“Unless your electrolyte losses are particularly high (eg because of intense or prolonged exercise), maintaining a balanced diet should provide adequate electrolyte intake,” she adds.

Aisling Pigott, a dietitian and spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association, notes that having a healthy balance of electrolytes in our body is more complex than ensuring there’s enough in the food we eat. “This often happens independent of dietary intake – through kidneys, hormones and other regulation methods,” she explains.

The benefits of consuming electrolytes

1. May improve physical performance

“Optimal hydration status is a key contributor to sporting performance,” says Crouse.

Losing just 2 per cent of your body weight in sweat reduces endurance capacity, makes exercise feel more difficult and reduces cognitive performance, she notes.

An electrolyte supplement can be consumed before, during or after exercise to replenish the sodium that is lost through sweat and counteract these effects. Research also suggests that drinking electrolytes during or after exercise reduces the risk of muscle cramps, compared to drinking water alone.

However, trainers typically recommend that water alone is sufficient for hydrating after exercise that has lasted for less than an hour.

2. Helps tackle the effects of dehydration

“Outside of sport, dehydration may cause headaches, decreased immune function, limit concentration and increase tiredness,” says Crouse.

In order to avoid these unpleasant side effects, it’s important to take in enough fluids. “An electrolyte supplement might be useful for helping with this,” she adds.

3. Can ease hangover symptoms

Electrolytes may also be beneficial when hungover. “Alcohol also acts as a diuretic, meaning it makes you need to urinate more frequently,” Crouse says. “Consuming an electrolyte-based drink after a night out might reduce dehydration the next day and help alleviate some symptoms associated with a hangover.”

Can you make electrolyte drinks yourself?

While electrolyte supplements come in many forms – including powders and effervescent tablets that are added to water, as well as drinks, chews and pills – you can make your own at home as well.

Pigott recommends combining equal parts water and fruit juice and then adding a pinch of salt to support hydration and electrolyte replenishment during endurance exercise.

Alternatively, simply consuming orange juice, milk, smoothies, coconut water or high-sugar squash can work, as they also have a high mineral content, Crouse says.

If you decide to buy an electrolyte supplement or drink, check that it contains the four key electrolytes – sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium – says Crouse. She recommends the Science in Sport (SiS) Hydro Tablets. It’s also worth checking the sugar content, as this can be high in some electrolyte drinks.

Expert verdict – is it worth taking electrolytes?

Crouse says: “In scenarios where sweat loss is high – such as exercising in hot or humid climates, for prolonged periods or multiple times a day – an electrolyte supplement can be a fantastic option to support effective rehydration when you need it most.

“Outside of this, maintaining optimal hydration throughout the day can be achieved simply by drinking water and other fluids such as tea, milk and juice,” she says.

Pigott says: “They really only have a place in situations where the body may be struggling to regulate electrolytes or in situations where there are extreme electrolyte losses,” such as after bowel surgery when suffering from diarrhoea or exercising in extremely hot conditions.

“For the majority of people, a healthy, balanced diet will give you all the electrolytes you need.”

Frequently asked questions

Is it OK to drink electrolytes every day?

“There is very unlikely to be a need for someone to use an electrolyte supplement every day,” says Crouse. “In general, you are more likely to gain nutritional advantages from consuming a variety of drinks in your normal diet [for example, milk, fruit juice, smoothies] as opposed to relying on a supplement regularly.”

Who shouldn’t drink electrolytes?

People who have kidney disease may be advised to avoid electrolyte supplements because they are at risk of potassium, an electrolyte, building up in their blood, Crouse says.

But, she adds, it’s best to speak to a registered sports nutritionist or dietician before consuming any kind of nutrition supplement.