Electrolytes used to be a thing for serious fitness fanatics, but they’re now the latest in health and well-being, with Jennifer Aniston and Gwyneth Paltrow among celebrities who’ve promoted products containing them.
With global sales of such products projected to grow to £32 billion this year, it’s no surprise that UK super-market and pharmacy shelves are packed with electrolytes in liquid, powder and tablet forms.
Claims for them include ‘increasing hydration’, ‘boosting energy’ and ‘improving focus’. So should we all be stocking up?
‘Electrolytes are nothing new – it’s just the name we give common minerals, including sodium and potassium, which create electrically charged particles when dissolved in water,’ says Lindsy Kass, a sports and nutrition scientist at the University of Hertfordshire.
Gwyneth Paltrow (pictured) and Jennifer Aniston have both promoted electrolyte drinks
This electrical charge helps control the flow of water molecules across cell membranes to maintain hydration levels within our cells. Also sometimes called body salts, other key electrolyte-forming minerals include chloride, calcium and magnesium.
Lindsy Kass says: ‘These essential nutrients are found in many foods such as fruit, veg, nuts and seeds, and are vital for processes including nerve and muscle function – and they play a major role in keeping the body well hydrated.’
While it’s known that the human body is 60 per cent water, many may not appreciate that a third of this is mineral-rich salt water inside each of our cells. This is why staying hydrated isn’t as simple as just drinking enough water: electrolytes help your cells retain it.
‘The body needs these mineral salts because they help ensure that the water we drink is carried into the cells and not just peed straight back out,’ explains Lindsy Kass.
Also, while drinking more water might seem an obvious solution, she adds ‘it isn’t always enough on its own – too much of it can be detrimental to health because it dilutes these important minerals in our cells’.
Lindsy Kass, a sports and nutrition scientist at the University of Hertfordshire, says only people doing high-intensity exercise need electrolyte supplements
In rare cases, it is possible to drink so much water that the body’s concentration of salts becomes too low – called hyponatraemia. Here, as your body’s water levels rise, the cells swell, leading to symptoms such as nausea and vomiting, confusion, seizures and loss of consciousness.
This tends to be a risk in extreme circumstances – such as if running a marathon on a hot day and drinking lots of water without electrolytes. But even then, ‘just having a cheese sandwich and a glass of water would keep your salt levels up and ensure you absorb enough water’, says Lindsy Kass.
We all lose small amounts of electrolytes in sweat and urine – but for most of us, our levels are topped up from the food we eat.
Research shows that low electrolyte levels are only a serious problem if you’re in a very hot climate, exercising intensely or suffering from prolonged vomiting and diarrhoea – because these situations all cause drastic fluid loss which washes vital salts away, says Lindsy Kass.
‘In fact, most people in the UK already consume too much sodium [salt] which is contained in all electrolyte products. Excess salt is linked to high blood pressure and kidney problems, so people in these risk groups need to be extra careful when taking them.’
But what of manufacturers’ claims that electrolytes can also increase energy and focus?
Electrolytes are the name we give common minerals, including sodium and potassium, which create electrically charged particles when dissolved in water, and help our body to retain water
This is based on the understanding that being very dehydrated can make you feel tired and affect the brain, explains Aidan Goggins, a pharmacist and independent adviser to the supplements industry. Some products also contain B vitamins, for instance, which manufacturers are ‘legally allowed’ to say help energy and brain function.
However, Lindsy Kass is clear: ‘There is currently no research to support the use of electrolyte powders or drinks for otherwise healthy people, unless they’ve had a severe upset stomach.’
Another factor to bear in mind with electrolyte products is the high sugar levels of many.
Sugar does help the body absorb water and salt, says Lindsy Kass, but adds: ‘The crucial thing here is you don’t need a huge amount of sugar for this to happen – most of us eat enough carbs during the day for it to happen naturally.’
So are electrolyte supplements worth the expense?
Lindsy Kass says: ‘Most people don’t need extra electrolytes for the first hour of exercise, especially in our mild climate.’
She believes that only those doing high-intensity exercise for prolonged periods or in a hot environment would benefit.
Also, ‘if you’ve had an upset stomach or are vomiting and not eating, then a pre-made powder will have useful electrolytes such as potassium that you may have lost from your body’.
Otherwise, she says, you don’t need them: ‘If you’re getting enough electrolytes from your diet, you’ll just pee out any excess – along with your money – down the drain!’
Aidan Goggins also recommends caution. ‘Fundamentally these drinks are very basic – a few minerals and some sugar in water. The ability to tweak this formulation is limited and so product claims are often driven by clever marketing over actual health benefits, in my opinion.’
And if you regularly do gruelling workouts, there are cheaper alternatives, says Lindsy Kass.
‘You can make a DIY “sports” electrolyte-rich drink by filling a water bottle with three-quarters water, one quarter pure orange juice and a pinch of salt. This will work just as well for the majority of people when it comes to staying hydrated and is better than just drinking water post-workout, as you’re replacing the minerals lost from sweat.’
…and how to choose the right ‘electrolytes’ for you
‘If you are going to buy an electrolyte product, look out for those which aren’t too high in sugar,’ says Lindsy Kass, a sports and nutrition scientist at the University of Hertfordshire.
Many products sometimes contain between five and seven teaspoons of sugar per serving – and not much of the sodium, potassium or minerals you need to properly rehydrate the body.
‘You’re better off choosing a powder of one specific electrolyte or dissolvable tablets as they are formulated to contain high levels of the important minerals without all the extra sugar,’ adds Lindsy Kass.
‘Coconut water ticks all the boxes, too,’ says pharmacist Aidan Goggins. ‘Naturally hydrating, it offers a low sodium, potassium-rich formulation that’s not too high in sugar, so you’re getting a good balance.’
But check with your GP before regularly taking electrolytes if you have high blood pressure, kidney problems or fluid retention as these can exacerbate such conditions because it makes your body hold on to water.
Products that might be worth trying include:
Viridian Electrolyte Fix Liquid, £13.85 for 100ml, viridian-nutrition.com
One of few with no sugar, artificial sweeteners or other ultra-processed ingredients, this is a blend of salt water from Great Salt Lake in Utah in the US, with good levels of sodium, magnesium, chloride and potassium. It’s flavourless.
Dioralyte Blackcurrant, £14.99 for 20 sachets, available at most pharmacies
Dioralyte sachets are good to settle an upset stomach
The classic upset-stomach product contains good levels of sodium, potassium and sugar to replenish any electrolytes lost through vomiting and diarrhoea.
Healthspan Elite Activ Hydrate Citrus, £14.49 for 40 tablets, healthspanelite.co.uk
Dissolve a tablet in water for a fruit-flavoured (sugar-free) drink with essential electrolytes after a long workout.
