Your body needs electrolytes. Should you take a supplement?

Are electrolytes on your mind? Due to the recent increase in products such as Liquid IV and LMNT, in 2023, electrolyte compounds made $36.56 billion, according to research – and 2024 estimates have a market that is growing more 10% to $40.32 billion. And there are influencers who promote them, like TikTok nutritionists who say adding electrolytes to your water every morning is “non-negotiable” for “a laundry list of health benefits.” health,” or healthy electrolytes improve mental clarity and focus. With all these indications, getting into the electrolyte supplement game can be tempting. But do you really need them to work properly? The answer is complicated.

What are electrolytes? What are electrolyte powders?

First of all: It is important to distinguish between electrolytes and electrolyte supplements (usually powders that you dissolve in your drink) that are currently popular.

Electrolyte powders contain different electrolytes, which are substances that have a positive or negative electrical charge when dissolved in water. These electrolytes are “important chemicals that serve many important functions in our bodies,” North Carolina-based nutritionist Christine Byrne tells Yahoo Life.

Electrolytes help regulate blood pressure and heart function, maintain fluid balance (ie, keep us hydrated) and support muscles and nerves, Byrne says.

The main electrolytes that serve these functions are sodium, potassium, magnesium, chloride and calcium, as well as phosphate and bicarbonate. Your body produces bicarbonate, Byrne says, but you get all the other electrolytes from food, drinks and supplements.

That’s where electrolyte powders come in. Typically, electrolyte powder contains three main ingredients: sodium, magnesium and potassium. They may contain sugar-sugar-substitutes, as well as added flavors or vitamins.

Why are electrolytes so important? What happens if I don’t fit?

Your body needs electrolytes — there’s no way to maintain hydration and function properly without them, says nutritionist Alex Larson.

When you drink fluids that contain water and electrolytes, they pass through your digestive system and into your bloodstream, helping to hydrate your cells better, increasing the rate of water absorption.

If you lack electrolytes, you may experience muscle cramps or feel tired or dizzy. In more severe cases, you may experience headaches, confusion, irregular heartbeats or nausea.

If you lose too many electrolytes (such as through sweating) or drink too much water without replenishing it, it can dilute the sodium in your blood, leading to a condition known as hyponatremia. which can cause serious health problems, such as. frustration, if not resolved.

On the other hand, too much sodium (an important electrolyte that is one of the three main components of most electrolyte powders on the market) can make you feel bloated or bloated. This is especially important for people with kidney or heart problems, who may have difficulty managing sodium levels effectively, putting them at greater risk of conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease and failure. when the kidneys. An excess of electrolyte potassium, meanwhile, can cause hyperkalemia and cardiac arrhythmias and confusion.

Should I replenish electrolytes?

Electrolytes are important – but that doesn’t mean we all need to fill them up with powder. While Larson notes that “everyone loses fluid and electrolytes through daily bodily processes such as breathing, digesting food and sweating,” he says that “many people replenish them with fluids what they drink and the food they eat without much thought.”

Foods rich in electrolytes include:

• Bananas (potassium)

• Watermelon (potassium, magnesium)

• Spinach (magnesium, potassium)

• Avocado (potassium, magnesium)

• Coconut water (potassium, sodium)

• Potatoes (potassium, magnesium)

• Yoghurt (calcium, potassium)

• Oranges (potassium, magnesium)

• Almonds (magnesium)

• Pickles (sodium)

• Chia seeds (magnesium, calcium, potassium)

However, there are times when you may want to add electrolyte powder to your water for a boost.

“Electrolyte replacement needs vary greatly depending on how much and how long a person sweats,” says nutritionist Sterling Weaver. For example, a marathon runner who trains for four hours a day can lose six liters of fluid through sweat as well as 6,000 mg of sodium – meaning they may need a faster way to replace those electrolytes. stat.

Larson says a good rule of thumb is to consider an electrolyte pack if you’re working out longer than 90 minutes, but there are other factors to consider as well. If you exercise in a hot room (like, say, for a warm vinyasa yoga class) or out in the sun, you’ll sweat more in a short amount of time, so you can benefit from the extra electrolytes. .

In general, it’s a good idea to have an electrolyte pack when you spend a lot of time sweating, whether you’re exercising or not. For example, a long day in a hot park can cause you to lose more water than you might think, despite the fact that you are not using much energy.

What makes electrolyte powder special?

The idea of ​​getting extra electrolytes is not new. For example, the popular sports drink Gatorade was developed in 1965 as a way for student athletes to replenish electrolytes. Powerade hit the market in 1988 when Coca-Cola was entering this new market.

On top of that, Gatorade and electrolyte powders are no different from each other – both are meant to replace your electrolytes lost through sweat. But electrolyte powders contain more electrolytes than sports drinks like Gatorade. For example, a packet of strawberry flavored Liquid IV has 530 mg of sodium and 380 mg of potassium, while Gatorade has about 160 mg of sodium and 50 mg of potassium per 12-ounce serving.

Although electrolyte powders vary, they may include vitamins that Gatorade does not: IV fluid, for example, contains vitamins B3, B5, B6, B12, and vitamin C. (LMNT, however , adheres only to electrolytes.)

Another reason why Gatorade may not be acceptable to some people is that it is high in sugar. While some electrolyte powders contain sugar (the original Liquid IV flavors have 11 grams of sugar per serving; LMNT has no sugar at all) the original Gatorade brand has 21 grams per 12 -ounce, about half a cup of soda.

Important point

No, you don’t need to add an electrolyte pack to your water if, say, you’re sitting behind your desk at work. Instead, focus on drinking water and getting electrolytes from your food sources – eating a variety of foods including fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds can help you get all your hydrating electrolytes.

Instead, aim to save your electrolyte packs for when you’re sweating profusely, whether it’s a long day at the beach in the sun or a half marathon. In those cases, your body will love to absorb the extra electrolytes – and you’ll stay happy and hydrated.