They’re in sports drinks, powders and tablets. But do they really help with hydration?
There is a large, growing and very competitive market for electrolyte powders, drinks and tablets. In 2024 the electrolyte drink market was valued around $38 billion.
The products are designed to be consumed before, during and after exercise — and manufacturers claim they’ll optimize your hydration, health and performance. There are even options to supplement your daily hydration, whether or not you are exercising.
But do you really need to replenish the electrolytes lost in your sweat? And are sports drinks, electrolyte powders and salty supplements actually the best way to do it?
What do electrolytes do?
Electrolytes are minerals — such as sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium — that carry an electrical charge that influences how water moves in your body.
“They help maintain the fluid balance,” explained Dr. Amy West, a sports medicine physician at Northwell Health. They help move fluid into and out of your cells and regulate blood pressure, heart rhythm, muscle and nerve function.
While they’re found in supplements and sports drinks, they’re also in the foods we eat every day.
“When we talk about potassium, it’s in a banana,” said Heidi Skolnik, a nutritionist at the Hospital for Special Surgery. “When you eat a pretzel, there’s sodium on it.”