Electrolytes are essential minerals that carry an electric charge. They play a role in muscle contraction, nerve impulses, blood pressure and your heart rhythm. When we sweat, we lose electrolytes and in extreme cases, we may develop dehydration and electrolyte imbalances.
One of the challenges for active people is to determine if electrolyte imbalances are limiting their exercise performance. Supplement claims make these minerals seem appealing but leave consumers unclear about the risks and benefits. Do electrolyte supplements really help active individuals, or is it all hype?
Other less common electrolytes found in some electrolyte supplements include chloride (Cl–), phosphate (PO43-), and bicarbonate (HCO3–). Not all electrolyte supplements contain the same combination or quantity of electrolytes. (Many of these same ions are plentiful in fruits and vegetables, and those foods provided extra phytonutrients, antioxidants and fiber, too.)
Research on electrolyte supplementation during exercise yields mixed results. Electrolyte supplements may have a subtle benefit for workouts lasting more than an hour or potentially shorter durations if conditions feature high heat and humidity combined with vigorous intensity exercise. These studies are usually completed in well-conditioned marathon, ultra-marathon, and triathlon athletes.
For these multi-hour aerobic events, recommendations include hydrating well before the event and consuming a drink during the event that has carbohydrates (30-60 grams/liter) and sodium (0.5-0.7 grams/liter). Alternatively, some athletes opt to drink water and consume a small snack during race transitions. Nausea is often a feature of pushing your body in these endurance events, so personalized choices are crucial for success.
Does this mean every long workout should include electrolyte (salt) supplementation? The answer is no! Many sports coaches and exercise physiologists emphasize eating real food instead, and suggest eating a full meal immediately after a 1-3 hour workout. It all depends on the athlete, their physical demands, and the conditions of the environment.
Benefits are not consistent across studies, with most endurance athletes showing no measurable advantage from electrolyte supplements. For example, there have been reports that most conditioned runners showed no change in their electrolyte balance before and after a 26-mile race, suggesting that salt supplements are not necessary for all. Moreover, in the same study, some of those racers endured muscle cramps, and their electrolyte levels were also no different pre-to post-race, either.
A major reason for the inconsistency is that dehydration is a more important factor for performance than salt loss. At the very least, dehydration is affecting performance earlier than salt (electrolyte) imbalances in the body.
Instead of salt intake predicting performance, rates of cramps and nausea reflected the level of heat stress endured by athletes during their 50-150-mile races. And hydration experts agree that for the typical athlete, “there’s little reason to add electrolyte supplements on top of drinking water and eating a nutrient-rich diet.” We already exceed our average daily salt intake needs by more than double, and the entire body holds only 10-15 tablespoons of salt in total.
Given that heat stress and hydration are critical for performance, it’s a good idea to know your rate of sweating for replenishment purposes.
Weigh yourself without clothes before and after your typical exercise session. One pound lost is equivalent to ~16 ounces of sweat, and suggests you should replenish at least that amount during similar workouts. In addition to this amount of water, multi-hour workout performance may subtly benefit from a small snack or alternatively, a small amount of sugar/salt added to water.
Hydration status can also be monitored by making sure urine output is frequent and light in color. This should be a primary concern before the electrolytes are considered! In fact, experts on electrolyte supplementation emphasize that supplements are more hype than help. As explained by Dr. Grant Lipman, professor of emergency medicine at Stanford and ultra-endurance athlete, “electrolyte supplements are promoted as preventing nausea and cramping caused by low salt levels, but this is a false paradigm.”
Your fluid balance relies on tight regulation of electrolytes. In individuals with underlying kidney disease, high blood pressure or heart disease, electrolyte supplements pose a greater risk of harm to the kidneys. In the US, chronic kidney disease affects almost 6% and coronary artery (heart) disease affects about 7% of adults. And high blood pressure occurs in most (55%) adults 40 and older. These data suggest we should be cautious about supplements that add extra salt to the diet.
Excessive intake of electrolyte supplements can lead to blood pressure changes, kidney damage, and heart arrhythmias in those with existing conditions. However, those with healthy kidney function are unlikely to have issues excreting extra salt they consume. To know kidney function, your doctor uses blood and urine tests as part of your annual check-up, so involve your health care provider in your supplement and dietary decisions. 
Heat stress and dehydration are greater risks to performance than salt loss in long exercise sessions. But what if you still want to hedge your bets for electrolyte excellence? What can endurance athletes do for electrolyte support?
Enjoy salted snacks: Consuming a small amount of salty snacks such as pretzels or nuts can help to replenish sodium lost through sweat during exercise.
Bananas: Along with many other fruits, bananas are a good source of potassium. This is an important electrolyte lost through sweat during exercise. Eating a banana before or after exercise can help to replenish potassium levels in the body.
Yogurt or cottage cheese: These dairy sources provide calcium and potassium, two important electrolytes lost through sweat. Eating these can replenish electrolyte (and protein) levels in the body.
Homemade sports drinks: You can make your own sports drink by mixing water, sugar (or fruit juice), and a pinch of salt. This can be a cost-effective way to replenish electrolytes during multi-hour runs, swims, or bike rides.
Be sure to ask your doctor if your blood work suggests any changes to your diet are necessary. And remember, the extra salt does not appear to be a guaranteed protective factor against cramps or exhaustion. Consider additional options for exercise performance, like sleeping more, eating a plant-packed diet, or even interval training, which shows better fitness gains than longer workouts in endurance-trained athletes!
As Treo’s Global Wellness Researcher, Karlie uses recent research findings to support healthier daily habits. Karlie earned her doctorate in Neuroscience and Behavior and bachelors in Health and Exercise Science.
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