Edith Hejberg
Sports scientists note that people doing long, intense sessions can lose significant amounts of these minerals through sweat.
If you haven’t started using them yourself, you almost certainly know someone, who has.
Electrolyte powders have quickly moved from niche athletic products to everyday pantry items, helped along by wellness influencers and flashy marketing.
And on the surface, it might make sence to replenish your electrolytes, especially if you sweat a lot.
But there is a problem: The hyper popular supplement can actually hurt your health instead of helping it.
What doctors say
NHS doctor, and marathon runner, Dr. Miranda Layton, posted a video on her Instagram explaining that many electrolyte mixes contain sodium, which makes sense, as sodium is, indeed, an electrolyte.
But most of us, if not all of us, already get the salt, we need through our diet, and according to Layton, the sodium levels of some electrolyte mixes are actually comparable to the everyday intake of salt.
According to LADbible she then explained that people who add a lot of salt to their food, might already be consuming too much salt. Adding electrolyte drinks on top could significantly spike peoples sodium levels, without noticing it.
Dr Layton also warned that, too much salt in the blood over time can raise your blood pressure. She too issued a warning that taking large amounts of sodium or electrolytes might cause dangerous changes to your heart rhythm, especially if you’re not actually dehydrated.
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So who should use them?
Experts still recognise that electrolyte supplements can be very useful for people.
Generally, the supplements can be useful in specific situations like endurance training, heavy sweating or to recover from illness or a night out binge drinking.
But for us Average Joes. the supps won’t make a difference, as we already consume enough salt through our diet.
In fact, sports dietitians often epmhazise that plain water consumtion is more important than electrolyte replenishing, although they might make a difference for regular runners, especially in warmer climates.
The less active you are the less likely you are to benefit from supplementing with electrolytes.
Anyone unsure about whether they really need electrolytes should speak with a healthcare professional rather than rely on influencer advice.
Sources: LADbible reporting; NHS medical commentary via Dr Miranda Layton’s Instagram.
