Your Definitive Guide To Getting Electrolytes: Types, Timing & More

You've probably seen them marketed on sports drinks, fruits, and juices, but what are electrolytes? Short answer: They're minerals! As their name suggests, these dietary minerals (which include sodium, potassium, magnesium, and more) carry electric charge1, creating important chemical reactions in the body. These include controlling muscle contraction, maintaining fluid balance, and calibrating the proper acidity of blood.

There are times when a sweaty workout may leave you depleted enough to need a mineral boost. "Athletes should know that there are several scenarios requiring them to replenish electrolytes," says Jen Scheinman, M.S., RDN. "Since electrolytes are lost during sweat, they should be replenished during workouts that last longer than 60 minutes, high-intensity exercise, or any exercise done in hot and humid conditions." 

The only way to accurately determine if your electrolytes are low is a blood test. But since most of us don't have access to medical-grade testing after a workout, some physical signs and symptoms of an electrolyte imbalance are a more realistic measure.

"Symptoms of dehydration during a workout, like fatigue, headaches, muscle cramps, or dizziness can be a sign of electrolyte imbalance," says Scheinman. If you notice these during or after heavy exercise, it's probably time to reach for some electrolyte-rich foods or drinks.

So…how do you get electrolytes back in balance when they're low? You've got lots of options. Powders, dietary supplements, drinks, and foods can all replenish you when your stores are low. (We've got specific recommendations below.)

When selecting an electrolyte replacement, read food and supplement labels to know how many milligrams of sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, and chloride you're getting. 

Of all the electrolytes lost through bodily fluids, sodium may be the most important to replace. According to 2021 research4, dehydration arises primarily from sodium losses, and the study notes that an extreme athlete (in this case, an Ironman triathlete) could expect to lose over 14,000 milligrams of sodium through sweat in 12 hours.

When you replenish your fluid stores with water alone (and don't include sodium), you could also end up overhydrating, leading to hyponatremia, a dangerously low level of salt in the blood.

Then again, most of us consume too much sodium, not enough—so hitting the sweet (or, more accurately, salty) spot can be tricky. To consume enough sodium without causing damage to your health, Stefanski says timing matters.

Contrary to popular belief, you don't need to carry a bottle of Something-Ade with you on every trip to the gym. We really only need to get more electrolytes when we've lost significant amounts.

This likely won't happen from activities like a 30-minute jog or easy hike, as these activities don't usually cause excessive sweating. In fact, according to research, most people do not need to consume sports drinks to replenish fluids and electrolytes lost during moderate physical exercise. 

Take this 2023 systematic review10 in Nutrients, which analyzed the findings of 15 research articles on the relationship between sports drinks and healthy behaviors. From this in-depth investigation, researchers concluded that it was more useful for non-athletes to focus on water consumption, rather than consumption of electrolyte beverages, for rehydration. During moderate physical exertion, most healthy people did not need sports drinks to replenish lost electrolytes.

When it comes to electrolytes, more isn't always better. It is possible to overdo it on minerals like sodium and potassium. This could potentially be dangerous.

"Very high doses of any electrolyte can cause harm and even death, as it can interfere with a person's heart rhythm and blood pressure regulation," says Stefanski. She points out, for example, that the recommended potassium intake for healthy individuals is 2,600 milligrams for females and 3,400 milligrams for males. For most people, there's no need to go above these numbers.

Similarly, the recommended daily limit for sodium is 2,300 milligrams. Regularly going past this could set you up for health problems like heart disease, kidney disease, or high blood pressure.

Most people don't lose electrolytes fast enough to need to worry about replenishing them. However, people who live in hot climates, have certain medical conditions like heart and kidney disease, or work out for over 60 minutes at a time will want to think about adding electrolyte-rich foods or drinks into their routine.

For those folks, getting enough electrolytes has never been easier: There are now plenty of sports drinks and electrolyte powders on the market, and certain foods and drinks are high in key electrolytes too. Refuel by keeping your favorites on hand after a workout—just be sure to check the sugar content first. Eating a variety of whole foods daily will also help ensure you get the minerals you need (30-plant challenge, anyone?).

As a distance runner, I'm prone to feeling lightheaded and nauseous after longer runs over 1.5 hours. Drinking a glass of water with a Nuun tablet (and replenishing my body with protein and carbs) is usually enough to bring me right back to life. Shop some of our other editor-favorite electrolyte powders below: