Electrolyte Drinks Are Everywhere — But Can They Do More Harm Than Good?
Nearly 60 years ago, a physician working for the Florida Gators football team created a drink to help prevent heatstroke in players. Mixing water, salt, sugar and a splash of lemon juice, Dr. Robert Cade dubbed the potion “Gatorade,” in honor of the team. His simple recipe formed the cornerstone of the entire sports drink industry, one that was valued at $22.71 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach $32.89 billion by 2030.
These days, electrolyte-boosting drinks are just as likely to be sipped during morning commutes as they are in athletic training sessions. Now available in cans, bottles and to-go packets of mixable powders, electrolytes seem to be the new darling of folks who are always looking for the shiniest health halos.
But are electrolytes really necessary? When might you need them, and how much of them should you consume? Can they do more harm than good for some people? We talked to nutrition experts to get the whole story.
Why are they called electrolytes?
Electrolytes is the name given to a group of minerals that includes sodium, chloride, magnesium, calcium, potassium, phosphate and bicarbonate, said Sara K. Rosenkranz, an associate professor in the department of kinesiology and nutrition sciences at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. They earned that “electro” prefix because they carry either a positive or negative electric charge when dissolved in water or body fluids.
Like the rest of us, Rosenkranz wonders about an electrolyte market that just keeps booming. “I don’t really know why exactly they’re so popular at this particular moment in time,” she said. “There are numerous electrolyte products on the market now, and social media is creating a lot of buzz around these products. We’ve known about the importance of maintaining electrolyte balance for a long time. Now popularity is being driven by the numerous products available and their apparent use by so many people.”
They’re important for health, but there’s a potential for harm.
According to registered dietitian nutritionist Cassandra Padula Burke, these minerals do all sorts of important things for our bodies. “They help maintain fluid balance by transporting sodium, potassium and chloride in and out of cells to ensure the body stays hydrated,” she said. “They also support physiologic functions such as muscle contractions, nerve signaling and bone health.”
When you hear that electrolytes are important for hydration, you might be tempted to think you could never get too much of this great thing. But you’d be wrong. The key word is “balance,” so consider this advice from registered dietitian nutritionist Sharon Palmer: “You don’t want to overhydrate, which can lead to nausea, headaches, muscle cramps and drowsiness. And if you have or are at risk for hypertension or heart disease, it’s not good to have excess sodium intake from these drinks, which can lead to weakness and confusion. If you have diabetes, the sugar content in many of those beverages is not beneficial.”
“I would recommend using these products sparingly, only when really necessary,” Rosenkranz said. “Consider how much of each electrolyte you really need and include everything you’re eating and drinking to figure out what’s safe. Consult the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) for your biological sex and age group.”
And there’s one more potential negative impact of overindulging in these drinks, Rosenkranz said. “You’ll spend a lot of money that you didn’t need to spend, and potentially consumed sugar, calories and sodium that your body didn’t even need.”
Here’s who SHOULD be consuming more electrolytes.
While noting that most people don’t need to supplement with electrolyte beverages in their diet, Rosenkranz did offer a list of those who might benefit from one of these drinks: “People who work outdoors in hot environments for prolonged periods, those who live in high altitudes, and people who train outdoors and sweat a lot, or sweat for a prolonged time, which is considered to be longer than 60 to 75 minutes.”
Beyond those factors, she noted that electrolyte drinks can be helpful for those who have had an illness that includes diarrhea and/or vomiting, which may lead to substantial water and electrolyte loss.
If you’re engaging in intense or long-term physical activity, there are guidelines for how much you should consume, Burke said. “You should consume 8 to 12 ounces of electrolyte beverages per hour,” Burke said. “That will help maintain fluid balance and minimize the risk of muscle cramps.” If it’s an especially hot and humid day, increase that consumption to 12 to 20 ounces per hour, she noted.
Not all electrolyte drinks are created equal, so read the labels.
The experts we spoke with pointed out the need to read labels carefully. Many of these drinks, for example, have historically been very high in sugar, although lower-sugar varieties are available with some brands.
“A 20-ounce sports drink can contain as much as 36 grams of sugar, which is about 8.6 teaspoons of sugar,” Rosenkranz warned, noting that the American Heart Association recommends that men get no more than 9 teaspoons of sugar per day and women no more than 6 teaspoons per day.
The drinks also contain sodium, and it’s important to consider how drinking them can contribute to your daily intake, she said. “Many of these drinks have 1,000 milligrams or more of sodium, the equivalent of a little more than a half teaspoon of salt. That’s a lot of sodium for some people.”
How to get electrolytes without buying expensive drinks.
It’s possible to get all the electrolytes you need through your everyday diet, and it’s not that hard to identify which ingredients to target.
“Many foods that are high in electrolytes also have a high water content, so they tend to go hand in hand,” Rosenkranz said.
Burke offered her top picks for natural sources: “Watermelon and cucumbers are more than 90% water, which makes them a refreshing snack option to replenish fluids and electrolytes. Many fruits, including oranges, grapefruit, cantaloupe, strawberries, mango and pineapple, are naturally hydrating and rich in electrolytes.”
If you’re in the mood for something on the savory side, Burke suggested lean proteins like beans and legumes or vegetables like sweet potatoes, celery, spinach, bell peppers and cucumbers.
Also, don’t forget the joys of regular, old-fashioned water. “Plain water will do a great job for maintaining hydration and electrolyte balance for most people in most situations,” Rosenkranz said.
If you want something a little fancier than tap water, Burke said, “Coconut water can help replace lost electrolytes, because it contains a combination of sodium, calcium, magnesium and potassium.”