So, just like me, you’ve been chugging electrolyte drinks like a pro athlete hydrating for the Olympics. I have been using electrolytes for a few months now, just because its good not to be dehydrates, right? This seems like sound advice to me, but do I actually need them, is there any benefit or does your body gets enough electrolytes from what you eat and drink?

What Do Electrolytes Even Do?  

We humans are basically a walking water balloon; 60-70% of our bodies are made of water. 40% of that water is contained within cells. Within this soggy masterpiece, you will find electrolytes. Electrolytes are essentially a bunch of minerals that can be found in every cell.

Now, electrolytes are associated with hydration which is kind of correct, but they don’t directly hydrate you. Instead, they are like traffic directors, directing water and nutrients to areas of the body where water is needed most and maintain fluid balance within the cells, also known as osmosis. Without enough water inside the cell, it will become dehydrated. So we need water for our body to function, but just as importantly, we need electrolytes to direct the water to where it needs to be, otherwise its useless. 

Meet The Electrolytes

So what are these electrolytes? They are a collection of minerals [1]

• Sodium: A.K.A. thetasty salt, the most abundant electrolyte found in the body. This helps cells maintain a fluid balance.
• Potassium: The yin to sodium’s yang. The cells use potassium with sodium to keep a balance, as sodium enters, potassium leaves and vice versa. Good sources of Potassium include spinach, broccoli, potatoes and mushrooms.
• Chloride: Plays a key part in how your cells maintain their internal and external balance of fluids. Good sources of Chloride include salt, tomatoes, lettuce, celery and olives
• Magnesium: This guy is the energy booster, helping your cells turn nutrients into energy. Good sources of magnesium include spinach, cashews and meats
• Calcium: Not only for stronger bones but also controls your muscles by transmitting signals in your nerves. Good sources of Calcium include dairy products, spinach and chicken breast.
• Phosphate: Helps the cells metabolize nutrients and transporting chemical compounds outside the cells. Good sources of Phosphate include dairy products, meats, poultry, fish, eggs and nuts.
• Bicarbonates: The body uses this to maintain normal pH levels. Good sources of Phosphate include avocados, bananas, potatoes and spinach.

Dehydration On Performance – Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff, Unless it Electrolytes

So, electrolytes obviously play a key role in keeping our body functioning and hydrated, but what about hydration and performance? Well, studies show that dehydration equivalent to 2% of body mass leads to significant reductions in performance [2]. What is 2% of body mass hydration though? This means that losing 2% of your body mass as water, so if you weigh 70kg and are dehydrated by 2% you would have lost 1.4l of liquid.

This seems like a lot however, your body will turn over about 10% (4.2l in a 70kg individual) of your body water daily, with 1-2l of urine output [3]. Exercise water loss is a bit harder to calculate as it depends on the individual, environmental conditions and intensity, however a person running for an hour can be expected to sweat between 0.5l and 2.5l per hour [3].

Exercise changes the electrolyte and water balances, which could lead to dehydration. Dehydration is associated with decreased plasma volume, decreased blood pressure, decreased cardiac output, decreased blood flow to the kidneys, impaired blood flow to the kidneys, and a reduction of exercise performance due to reduced blood flow to the muscles [4].

Granted we all get dehydrated from time to time and don’t really think much about it. But in the gym, dehydration could be impacting our lifts, ever have a bad workout?

Keep in mind that the studies that show the impact of dehydration and performance are studies on endurance training. There are no studies to this date on dehydration and resistance training. However, it is apparent that being dehydrated limits body functions and with the evidence on endurance performance. I would suggest that being hydrated for all training would be optimal.

Electrolytes On Performance

In 2021 a study was published on electrolyte drinks vs normal water, involving 10 healthy young men undertaking cardiovascular training. This study showed that taking an electrolyte supplement both before and after training improved ventilation per min, maximum oxygen intake, breathing exchange rate and maximum heart rate. The study also showed a benefit on recovery as lactic acid concentrations were lower if electrolytes were supplemented [6].

How Much Electrolytes Do We Sweat Out

When we sweat the most abundant electrolytes that are released are sodium and chloride. The amount of electrolytes that we sweat out differs greatly depending on the individual, diet and the type of exercise undertaken [5]. However, if you are a heavy sweater you probably need more electrolytes than the average person.

Deficiency In Electrolytes

Sadly, our modern diet makes it hard for people to get the needed micronutrients. In theory we should be able to get all our electrolyte needs from food and drink. This however is not the case.

Magnesium: A study in 2017 showed that nearly two-thirds of the western population is not achieving the recommended daily allowance for magnesium [7]. This can be a problem, as stated above magnesium helps your cells turn nutrients into energy, with low magnesium you will experience low energy and muscle problems.

Potassium: A study conducted on the American population showed that just 3% of Americans meet the adequate intake for Potassium [8]. Not only is potassium required to stay hydrated it is also important for heart health [8].

Calcium: Calcium is also becoming a problem, in western countries milk has always been the major source of calcium account for around 70% of calcium intake [9]. A study published in 2022 declared calcium deficiency to be a widespread global problem, finding that half the world’s population has inadequate calcium intake [10]. So, next time you’re sipping on that almond milk latte, remember you might be shortchanging your calcium fix.

Phosphate, sodium, bicarbonates and chloride deficiency are rare in wester populations.

Dehydration in the morning

Did you know your sleep patterns can affect hydration? A study published in 2018 showed people who sleep 6 hours or less are 59% more likely to be dehydrated upon waking than people how sleep 7-8 hours [11]. This is likely to be due to due to the pituitary gland signaling the kidneys to retain fluid later in the sleep cycle [11]. So it may be beneficial to consume an electrolyte drink in the morning.  Sleep is also the longest period of the day of not consuming water, so even if you sleep 8 hours it’s probably wise to start the day with a glass of water.

How Much Should We Get?  

Of course you can always have too much of a good thing and that’s the same with electrolytes, so don’t go too wild on those supplements.

Magnesium recommended daily allowance (RDA) is 300mg for adults [12].  Having more than this is not a problem and you kidneys will sort out access. However very large doses can cause problems, more than 5,000mg per day have been associated with magnesium toxicity [15].

Sodium RDA is 2.4g (6 grams of salt) [12]. There isn’t really a universally agreed harmful dose of sodium. If you’re consuming too much then you will have a high blood pressure, so its worth keeping an eye out. The average American consumes 3.4g of sodium daily [16].

Potassium RDA is 3,500mg [12] High doses up to 15600mg a day for a number of days could lead exceed the kidneys capacity to excrete potassium, causing acute hyperkalemia [17].

Phosphate RDA is 550mg [12]. The tolerable upper intake level for phosphate is 4,000 mg per day [18]. Too much phosphate in your system can cause Hyperphosphatemia however; this is more likely associated with a kidney problem.

Calcium RDA is 1000mg [13]. Tolerable upper intake levels of calcium are 2,500 mg per day [19]. Taking too much calcium could lead to stomach pain and diarrhea.

Chloride RDA is 3000mg [14]. The upper limit for Chloride intake is 3,600 mg per day [20].

What Electrolytes Do We Want in a Supplement?

There are so many electrolyte supplements out there, coming in all shapes and sizes. Most supplements contain Sodium, Potassium, Calcium and Magnesium. There isn’t really a constancy of how much of each electrolyte companies are putting in. Moreover lots of brand I have seen don’t even state the quantities. I would suggest finding a company you trust that states which electrolytes and the quantity they are using.

Conclusion

In conclusion studies how shown a significant decrease in performance due to 2% body mass dehydration. Furthermore studies have shown an increased performance from supplementing electrolytes both before and after exercise, even if hydrated. However both these studies were conducted in endurance training, studies have not been conducted in resistance training.

You can obtain the required amount of electrolytes from diet, however studies show that a large population do not meet the daily requirements for key electrolytes Magnesium, Potassium and Calcium. Sleep also has an impact on hydration and sleeping 6 hours or less can leave you waking dehydrated.  With this information I for one plan to continue supplementing electrolytes, there is a clear benefit for performance. I also train in the morning, sometimes fasted, so a big glass of water full of electrolytes will ensure I’m hydrated.

For more training and nutrition advice, check out some other posts.