The Electrolyte Craze: Hype vs. Need
This week, I found myself cancelling my Humantra subscription. My maternity leave coffee and [insert delicious item of food here] rituals have been essential to navigate the fourth trimester but haven’t been easy on the bank balance, so I’ve found myself needing to scale back. The more worrying concern, however, is not the 11 a.m. Gail’s almond croissant but how I have found myself unable to live without a teeny tiny daily sachet of apparently good-for-me salts. It’s got me thinking about how these became a non-negotiable part of my daily routine.
I started drinking electrolytes when I returned home from the hospital with Mikey. Like a lot of people who breastfeed, I found myself with an unquenchable thirst — one that plain water and uncountable bottles of Robinson’s orange squash couldn’t quench alone. I found myself craving all different types of soft drinks, from Coke and Sprite to the more boujee brands of kombucha and prebiotic soda. The electrolytes were a welcome addition. But two months on from dropping breastfeeding and with the El Scorchio summer temperatures cooling off, I’ve become none the wiser on why these powders are still knocking about.
Why Electrolytes Are Suddenly Everywhere
It turns out, I am not alone. Electrolyte sachets and powders have skyrocketed in popularity in recent years, promising more than just hydration — “clarity,” “bounce back,” “daily reset.” They have always existed in sports contexts, but in the last ~5–10 years, they've been aggressively marketed to the general population as a “wellness must.” The functional beverage trend ensures they show up in yoga studios, influencer flatlays, and gym bags. Many brands lean into high sodium, “zero sugar,” and lifestyle marketing. The high-sodium approach is especially aggressive compared to typical sports drinks or ORS formulas.
But is this justified? Let’s cut through the marketing and see what the science says.
What Electrolytes Actually Do in Your Body
Electrolytes are minerals that carry an electric charge when dissolved in fluid. Key ones include sodium (Na⁺), potassium (K⁺), magnesium (Mg²⁺), calcium (Ca²⁺), and chloride (Cl⁻). They help with fluid balance, nerve transmission, muscle contractions, pH balance, and more — they’re pretty important (Shirreffs et al., 2011). When you sweat (or lose fluid from illness), you lose both water and electrolytes. Replenishment may be needed — but when and how is the question.
When Electrolytes Are Actually Useful
The literature is clear: in some situations, electrolyte supplementation is valid, even beneficial:
Prolonged, intense exercise (>1 hr) — especially in heat, when sweat losses are large (Shirreffs et al., 2011). Think things like >1 hr of trekking or hiking in hot climates, over an hour of a sweaty workout, or sports matches (tennis, hockey etc.) for over an hour in hot climates.
Individuals with high sodium sweat rates — some individuals lose more salt in their sweat than others. Signs include stinging eyes or a salty taste on the skin post-workout, sweat that dries in visible crystals, or feeling wiped out and cramping easily despite drinking plenty of water (Millard-Stafford et al., 2021).
Gastrointestinal losses — vomiting, diarrhoea (think food poisoning or norovirus), which flush both water and electrolytes.
Long endurance events or multi-stage races — e.g. marathons or triathlons.
Certain medical conditions — e.g. cystic fibrosis, adrenal insufficiency (Addison’s disease), post-operative recovery, certain kidney conditions, and in some cases of malnutrition and eating disorders.
So, probably not necessary for every single day use for most of us, even though I’d argue that mum-ing could be an intense endurance sport.
Equally, many studies show diminishing returns when electrolyte use is overemphasised. For example, in a two-hour exercise trial, extra sodium didn’t significantly improve thermoregulation or heart rate drift (Earhart et al., 2015). So even in elite sports, they may not actually be all that effective.
Noteworthy, however, electrolytes are also recommended for certain diets, especially low-carb and ketogenic diets. On such diets, insulin levels fall, which makes the kidneys excrete more sodium and water (Palacios et al., 2020). Many find themselves needing to go to the loo more often. This can also increase losses of potassium and magnesium, contributing to “keto flu” symptoms like headaches, fatigue and cramps (Westman et al., 2007). For this reason, electrolyte replacement (especially sodium / salt) is often recommended to help manage these side effects.
Whilst it’s true that the ketogenic diet may be clinically indicated — for example, to reduce seizures in those with epilepsy — many of these diets are embarked on for the purpose of controlling body weight and shape, even if under the façade of “I’m just eating healthily.”
So is diet culture selling us a means to more effectively malnourish ourselves? Does it really sound “healthy” to restrict carbohydrates to the point we get flu-like symptoms? I think you know my answer.
The Hidden Downsides of Daily Electrolytes
So beyond diet culture, are there any consequences to taking electrolytes?
Excess sodium — The NHS advises adults to consume no more than 6 g of salt per day, with most people consuming more than this (≈2.4 g sodium) (NHS, 2024). Yet some electrolyte brands, like LMNT, contain 1,000 mg sodium (≈2.5 g salt) per sachet — meaning a single serving provides nearly half the daily recommended limit. For many individuals with otherwise reasonable sodium intake, that’s overkill, especially if they’re not sweating heavily.
Additives, sweeteners, colourings — sachets are rarely just minerals. They often include flavouring agents, preservatives, artificial sweeteners, or pH stabilisers (citric acid, etc.). These aren’t necessarily “bad,” but isn’t wellness full of contradictions? These are ultra-processed foods.
Taste and adherence issues — On a personal note, I’ve found that plain water suddenly tastes, well… plain. I miss my sweet-and-salty, limey version and, as a result, once I’ve finished that, I tend to drink less water or feel the urge to add other flavours.
Cost — My Humantra addiction costs me ~£1.88 per sachet, which means I’m basically spending £2 per day to stay hydrated on tap water. That’s not cheap for something that’s otherwise free.
Displacing food — reliance on sachets can overshadow proper nourishment by creating artificial fullness and also reduce consumption of whole-food sources of electrolytes (e.g. bananas, leafy greens, dairy, nuts). Hi again, diet culture.
Electrolyte imbalance or overconsumption — too much of certain ions can lead to cramping, nausea, or cardiac issues in extreme cases.
Overhydration risk — flushing lots of low-electrolyte fluid can dilute sodium; careless use may contribute to hyponatraemia in endurance settings (Hoffman & Stuempfle, 2014).
Do You Really Need Electrolyte Powders Every Day?
For most of us: no.
Moderate workouts (less than ~60 minutes) in temperate conditions are typically fine with water + food.
A balanced diet naturally provides sodium (salt in food), potassium (fruits/veg), magnesium (nuts, seeds, whole grains).
True electrolyte deficiency is rare in healthy individuals with normal diets.
When the marketing insists “everyone needs electrolytes now,” they’re pushing a supplement narrative — which means we’re spending more money than there’s science to justify.
Are they going to harm us? Look, if you want to spend the money and include them as part of your day, that’s not for me to judge. We all have the little rituals we like and that help us feel good — I’m not prepared to let go of my coffee, after all. That said, they can cause harm if they displace nutrient-rich foods, restrict our body’s inherent biological need for a range of food groups (including carbohydrates), and lead us to inadvertently buy into diet culture — a system of oppression that prioritises appearance over wellbeing and profits from making us feel inadequate.
The Real Takeaway on Electrolytes
Electrolytes are essential minerals, but you don’t need a branded sachet to get them. For average daily life or non-extreme exercise, water + real food usually does the job. Sachets like LMNT or Humantra may help in special circumstances (high sweat losses, endurance events, illness), but come with trade-offs — including the price tag.
Will I ever take electrolytes again? I mean, the limey water is tastier than when it’s plain, but I’m under no illusion that I need these for my true, authentic wellbeing. Never say never, but I could just as easily add a bit of salt and fresh lime juice to my morning H₂O — or indeed, lime squash isn’t bad either.
References
Earhart, J.S. et al. (2015) ‘Effects of oral sodium supplementation on thermoregulation and performance during prolonged exercise in the heat’, Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 40(9), pp. 907–913.
Hoffman, M.D. and Stuempfle, K.J. (2014) ‘Hydration strategies, weight change and performance in a 161 km ultramarathon’, Research in Sports Medicine, 22(3), pp. 213–225.
Millard-Stafford, M.L. et al. (2021) ‘Sodium intake and exercise: Effects on fluid balance, thermoregulation, and performance’, Sports Medicine, 51(5), pp. 1045–1063.
Palacios, O.M. et al. (2020) ‘The ketogenic diet and its effect on electrolyte balance’, Nutrition Reviews, 78(6), pp. 479–492.
Shirreffs, S.M. et al. (2011) ‘Rehydration after exercise’, Journal of Sports Sciences, 29(Suppl 1), pp. S115–S125.
Westman, E.C. et al. (2007) ‘Low-carbohydrate nutrition and metabolism’, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 86(2), pp. 276–284.