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Are Electrolyte Packets Really Worth the Hype?

In the world of workout supplements, electrolyte packets are having their moment. Scroll through social media, and you’re bound to see sweaty athletes cooling off with pastel-colored drinks—and touting all the benefits of doing so.

Electrolyte packets—think: LMNT, Liquid IV, Skratch Labs, and Nuun—are typically sold as individual prepackaged powders or tablets that you can add to a glass or bottle of water. They’ve been around for ages, but there's been a recent proliferation with slick new marketing, bright colors, and millennial-friendly messaging that's exploded on social media. And, as is the case with so much wellness marketing, the claims surrounding electrolyte packets are…

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 Do You Need to Drink Electrolytes?

When you lose an exceptionally large quantity of water and electrolytes, as you might if you’re having a serious bout of diarrhea, you need to replace both. In those situations, doctors often recommend a rehydration solution like Pedialyte, which typically has more sodium and potassium than your average sports drink. But experts say you probably don’t need to reach for a sports drink during your regular workouts. Even if those workouts are strenuous or happen in hotter weather, drinking water when you’re thirsty is enough to keep you hydrated. The sugar and carbohydrates found in many sports drinks certainly may help competitive athletes maintain their energy, but the electrolytes have little impact.

 Electrolyte-Infused Water: Is It Worth It? (Plus How to DIY)

Lately, I've been a little obsessed with electrolyte-enhanced water. The other day, there was a sale at the store--10 bottles for $10--and my eyes did that whirly jackpot thing, cartoon character-style. What's going on here?

 Zero-Sugar Sports Drinks vs. Electrolyte Sports Drinks: Which is the Better Choice?

Before you grab a colorful, flavorful sports drink to sip after your next workout, read this.

Articles of Interest

These Are the Only 16 Electrolyte Powders I Recommend as a Nutritionist and Avid Runner

Is your social media feed telling you that plain water isn’t enough to stay hydrated? Same here. But as a nutritionist, I’m here to clear up some of the confusion. Sure, adding electrolyte powders to your water bottle can be tasty and refreshing — but for most people, it’s not something you need to do every day. That said, if you’re an avid exerciser like me, you might consider sprinkling them in after sweaty sessions that sap your fluids.

Electrolyte beverages can help your body stay balanced − but may worsen symptoms if you’re sick

Energy drinks’ combination of simple sugars, water and electrolytes may be one strategy to maintain hydration during a time when food and fluids are difficult to stomach. However, be cautious – many traditional sports drinks have a high sugar content aimed at refueling lost energy during a workout. When that same sugar content is introduced to an upset gastrointestinal tract, it can pull in extra water, leading to more diarrhea. If you find yourself in this situation, here are some other options to consider.

How High-Sodium Electrolyte Supplements Help Heavy Sweaters

Electrolyte supplements, which are touted for boosting hydration and supporting recovery, are having a moment right now amongst everyone from hardcore endurance athletes to weekend warriors to super-clean eaters.

How Pedialyte got Pedialit

While Pedialyte won’t necessarily alleviate a hungover person’s nausea, headache, or dizziness, it can counteract the dehydration caused by drinking. Here’s how it works: Pedialyte contains sugar, salt, potassium, and water. The water obviously rehydrates you, while the sugar helps pull the salt and potassium into your body to replenish electrolytes that have been lost due to dehydration. That’s it.

Is Electrolyte Water Actually Good For You?

Generally speaking, the only time you need to worry about consuming extra electrolytes is if you've lost a lot of water — aka if you're super dehydrated. For example, if you're "running long distances or doing heavy exercise outside, yes, you're probably losing a decent amount of both water and electrolytes in your sweat," Dr. Leisman says. Other scenarios include an increase in urination, vomiting, or diarrhea. In these cases, you might want to choose an electrolyte drink in order to replenish what you've lost.

Letter of Recommendation: Pedialyte

An electrolyte solution intended for children — but more useful for adults.

Muscle cramp? Drink electrolytes, not water, study shows

If you reach for water when a muscle cramp strikes, you might want to think again. New research from Edith Cowan University (ECU) has revealed drinking electrolytes instead of pure water can help prevent muscle cramps.

The Runner’s Complete Guide To Electrolytes

There are a dizzying array of drinks and powders on the market that promise to keep you hydrated and boost energy levels during your runs. But you need more than just water and sugary calories for optimal performance.

What Is Electrolyte Powder? Everything You Need to Know

You know the phrase, “everything is connected”? Well, it’s true, especially when it comes to the human body and electrolytes.

What's the deal with electrolyte drinks — do you need them to stay hydrated?

If you eat a somewhat balanced diet and you're not an elite athlete or working all day in the sun, you're most likely getting all the electrolytes you need — and more — from food. And you can skip the sports drinks. "From my perspective, physiologically, it's not going to make you exercise better or increase your performance or make you recover faster," Hew-Butler says.

Resources

7 Common Electrolyte Drinks You Should Avoid

Additionally, these “so called” electrolyte drinks are full of harmful ingredients such as sugar, high fructose corn syrup, trans-fats, artificial flavors, brominated vegetable oil (bromine is a toxin and a goitrogen) which is harmful to the thyroid.

The best electrolyte drinks, according to experts

These electrolyte drinks have what you need to recover from everything from running a marathon to a night out on the town.

The Nutrition Source

Move over plain water? Commercial beverages in the U.S. aside from alcohol are a multi-billion-dollar industry and growing rapidly. Fueled by strong consumer interest in fitness and wellness, electrolyte or sports drinks comprise a large share of the beverage market.