What's the crack with electrolytes? Should I be using them?

Do dehydrated b!tches need electrolytes?

Research shows that losses of as little as 2% of body mass from fluid can reduce cognitive performance as well as impact physical performance.

Electrolytes are salts and minerals, like potassium and sodium, found in our blood and play an essential role in different bodily functions most importantly muscle contractions & regulating fluid levels.

Electrolytes lost through sweat and other bodily fluids and dehydration can lead to electrolyte imbalances which can cause symptoms such as cramps, headaches and dizziness which can obviously have more severe consequences in extreme cases of dehydration.

Do you need to supplement?

The American college of sports medicine concludes that the need for electrolyte supplements depends on circumstances, with beverages containing electrolytes and carbohydrates providing greater benefits over water in certain conditions.

A recent very small, study found that an electrolyte drink providing sodium, potassium and magnesium as well as carbohydrates (similar to what’s available in sports drinks) taken before + after exercise helped participants to retain more water than drinking just water alone, meaning it would take longer to become dehydrated*

Electrolyte supplements can be useful due to convenience and there are certain situations where an electrolyte supplement may be beneficial such as after intense/longer duration sessions, if training in hot weather or if you need to speed up recovery time for multi-day competitions/sessions.

But for most, simply eating foods rich in salt or electrolytes, or even some milk or a sports drink is enough.

Most electrolytes contain sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium and although the quantities may vary they should do the job :)

Do you use electrolytes? I personally rarely do because I’m a salty b!tch.

Has it made a difference?

*Choi, D.-H.; Cho, J.-Y.; Koo, J.-H.; Kim, T.-K. Effects of Electrolyte Supplements on Body Water Homeostasis and Exercise Performance during Exhaustive Exercise. Appl. Sci. 2021, 11, 9093. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11199093