Are electrolyte supplements necessary? Everyone from triathletes to YouTubers is singing the praises of the super-hydrating mineral additives. Here are the benefits and disadvantages.
Now they are being advertised on everyday food packaging, flagged in outsize numbers and shouted about in commercials
But has anything about our day-to-day existence changed to make any of this necessary? Is a sachet of powder or a quick squirt of concentrate really the true path to fitness and focus? Do we all need to be worrying about balancing our body’s mineral intake like elite endurance athletes just to get through our daily lives?
What are Electrolytes?
To start with the basics, electrolytes are minerals that carry an electric charge when they are dissolved in certain fluids. The ones human bodies rely on are sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate, calcium, magnesium and phosphate. Out of these, our bodies make bicarbonate on their own and it’s fairly easy to meet our phosphate and calcium needs through what we eat. Sodium chloride – or table salt – covers another two bases.
So the electrolytes most commonly featured in drinks and supplements are potassium, magnesium … and sodium again, for reasons we will get to shortly (clue: it’s cheap). As for why we need them, well, the list is extensive.
“Electrolytes are essential for many functions in the body, including assisting in maintaining fluid levels, helping heart and nerve function, and regulating blood pressure,” says Natalie Allen, a dietitian and associate professor in nutrition and dietetics at Missouri State University. Magnesium helps with everything from muscle and nerve function to bone health, while chloride aids fluid balance and digestion.
Potassium helps to regulate your heartbeat, lower blood pressure and regulate kidney function, while muscles need calcium, sodium and potassium to contract. Without electrolytes, your body runs into dire difficulties, fast.
Do We Need Electrolyte Supplements?
Well, it depends on what you are doing. The main way we lose electrolytes is through body fluids, so for otherwise healthy people, the biggest risk comes from a bout of sickness or diarrhea.
For many of us, however, the biggest problem comes from our drinking habits. “If you’re drinking lots of alcohol, you are at risk of dehydration, which can throw your electrolyte levels out of balance,” says the nutritional therapist Laura Southern, who works with W-Wellness.
Caffeine has a similar diuretic effect to alcohol, while there is also some evidence that it can reduce reabsorption of magnesium after you drink it, lowering the overall levels in your body.
Generally, though, the group most likely to benefit from an immediate infusion of electrolytes is hard-charging exercisers: for instance, endurance athletes putting in several sessions a week, or gym-goers who keep the intensity high.
It also matters how much fluid you are losing – and what is in it. “If you sweat a lot, that’s a real consideration,” says Southern. “If you’re doing a marathon in hot or humid conditions and drinking a lot of water, there can be some risk of hyponatremia, where that water flushes out sodium and causes its levels in the blood to become too low.”
Weight and body composition also play a part. “Muscle stores more water than fat does,” says Southern. “So someone carrying less body fat and more muscle will have more water content in their body than someone who’s carrying more weight and less muscle. If you’re in the latter group, electrolytes can help you to stay hydrated throughout the day.”
How to Get Electrolytes Naturally
So how much do you actually need to worry about your electrolyte intake? If you are already eating a balanced diet (and not sweating too much, too often), maybe not a lot. “Maintaining a healthy diet with a variety of foods – including fruits, vegetables, dairy and high-quality protein – can help most people meet their electrolyte needs,” says Jill Hussels, a dietitian from Vermont. “There are also foods that are overlooked as hydrating, which offer a natural and balanced source of electrolytes – yoghurt, for instance, is a great source of potassium and magnesium.”
Green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, dark chocolate and whole grains are all excellent sources of magnesium, while bananas, avocado and coconut water will help you top up on potassium.
Water can also help, depending on where it comes from: tap water typically contains a small amount of calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium, while mineral water naturally contains more, with some brands containing enough calcium, magnesium and potassium to make a decent contribution to your daily needs. The amount in bottled (non‑mineral) water varies, depending on where it comes from.
So why the sudden focus? “Partly, I think people are often more active now and more aware of the benefits of hydration,” says Southern. “But, also, I think they’re quite a nice, easy thing to put into your daily life without too much effort. People feel like they’re doing something good for themselves without it feeling too expensive or complicated, which can be an issue with some supplements.”
“I consider it to be a similar thing to the protein movement we saw in 2016,” says Joe Welstead, the founder of the electrolyte retailer Oshun. “Suddenly, people had a much greater awareness of the benefits of getting enough protein in their diet and realized that the benefits go beyond what sportspeople need. It’s a similar story with electrolytes: if you can get past going for caffeine first thing in the morning and focus on being properly hydrated instead, you’re going to feel so much better. And I think there are a lot of downstream benefits to being properly hydrated. You’re better able to focus, but you’re also less likely to crave snacks and salt throughout the day.”
Do You Need Electrolyte Supplements?
If you are already eating fruit, nuts, leafy greens and protein every day, drinking plenty of water and not sweating too much, you can probably go about your life without worrying too much about extra electrolytes.
If you are sweating a lot – and, let’s face it, you probably should be, at least occasionally – they are worth thinking about, even if all that means is picking mineral water over tap.
And if you are stressed, unable to focus or feeling the 3pm brain fog, electrolytes are one of the cheapest health interventions you can try – and the quickest to take effect.
Just remember to check the nutritional information: you can probably get enough salt in your diet without Logan Paul ever being involved.
Click here to learn more about electrolyte supplements.
