If you’ve set foot in a gym, jogged through a park, or even scrolled your feed, chances are you’ve seen the buzz around electrolytes. Colourful sachets. Glossy bottles. “Replenish and rehydrate!” they promise.
But do you actually need them—or are you just being sold a salty solution to a problem you don’t really have?
Let’s cut through the hype and get to the truth.
What Are Electrolytes, Anyway?
Before we call them overrated or essential, let’s get clear on what electrolytes actually are.
Electrolytes are minerals—mainly sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, chloride, and phosphate—that carry an electric charge. They help regulate a bunch of critical functions in your body, including:
- Hydration levels
- Muscle contractions
- Nerve signalling
- pH balance
- Blood pressure regulation
When you sweat, you lose both water and electrolytes. That’s why replenishing them can be important—under the right circumstances.
The Rise of the Electrolyte Industry
Electrolyte drinks have been around for decades—think Lucozade Sport, Gatorade and Powerade. But the recent boom in branded electrolyte powders and hydration tablets is something else entirely.
Influencer-backed hydration brands now target not just athletes but everyday gym-goers, office workers, and even people who barely move. Add slick branding and wellness marketing, and suddenly sipping electrolytes becomes a lifestyle.
The implication? If you’re not taking electrolytes, you’re not really hydrating. And if you are, you’re doing something elite.
But is that actually true?
When You Do Need Electrolytes
Let’s be clear: electrolytes aren’t a scam. Your body genuinely needs them. The question is whether you need to supplement them—and if so, when.
Here are some situations where electrolyte replenishment does make sense:
High-Intensity or Long-Duration Workouts
If you’re sweating buckets during a hard session (especially one lasting 90+ minutes), topping up sodium and potassium can help prevent muscle cramps, dizziness, and fatigue.
Hot and Humid Conditions
Training outdoors in high temperatures? You lose more salt through sweat, making electrolyte loss more significant.
Endurance Sports
Distance runners, cyclists, triathletes—this is your territory. Water alone isn’t always enough. Electrolyte drinks or tablets can help maintain fluid balance over time.
Illness
Vomiting, diarrhoea, or fever can deplete your electrolyte stores. In these cases, rehydration solutions aren’t just helpful—they’re sometimes medically necessary.
Keto and Low-Carb Diets
Cutting carbs can cause your body to shed water and sodium. That “keto flu” feeling? Often an electrolyte imbalance. A little extra sodium and magnesium can genuinely help.
When You Probably Don’t Need Electrolytes
Now here’s the other side of the coin. Most people in everyday situations don’t need to be necking electrolytes just to function.
Light Workouts or Casual Gym Sessions
If you’re doing a 30-minute weights session or going for a light jog, a bottle of water will do just fine. You’re not losing enough salt to justify a top-up.
Sedentary Days
Drinking electrolytes at your desk because you “feel dehydrated” is likely unnecessary—especially if you’re eating a normal diet and sipping water throughout the day.
Drinking Them Like Energy Drinks
Some people use electrolyte powders as an energy or focus boost, even though many contain little to no caffeine. If you’re feeling sluggish, chances are you need sleep, food, or hydration—not a trendy supplement.
Can You Get Enough Electrolytes From Food?
In a word: yes.
If you’re eating a varied, balanced diet, you’re likely getting sufficient electrolytes without ever needing to supplement. Some quick examples:
- Sodium: Found in salt (and in most processed foods)
- Potassium: Bananas, potatoes, spinach, beans
- Magnesium: Nuts, seeds, whole grains, dark chocolate
- Calcium: Dairy products, fortified plant milks, leafy greens
Unless you’re training like an athlete or losing fluids through illness or heat, food + water = enough for most people.
The Problem With “Hydration Hype”
The wellness industry has a habit of turning normal bodily functions into things you need to optimise, track, and buy products for. Hydration is a prime target.
Many electrolyte products oversell their benefits with vague claims about “boosted energy,” “mental clarity,” or “rapid hydration.” But most of that effect likely comes from the act of drinking water—not the extra minerals in the mix.
Worse, some brands contain high amounts of sugar, unnecessary caffeine, or artificial additives—all in a product meant to support “clean living.”
It’s worth checking the label: is your hydration booster helping or just selling you a shiny placebo?
The Verdict: Hype or Helpful?
So, do you really need electrolytes?
The answer is sometimes. But not nearly as often as the marketing suggests.
For the average gym-goer, a water bottle and a balanced diet are enough. But if you’re training hard, sweating heavily, or following a low-carb lifestyle, a well-formulated electrolyte supplement can help you recover faster and perform better.
Just don’t fall for the idea that they’re essential for everyone, all the time.
Electrolytes aren’t magic—but they’re not nonsense either. They have a clear role in sports nutrition and recovery, just not in the everyday way most wellness marketing suggests.
As with most things in fitness, the answer comes down to context.
- Train hard? Electrolytes might help.
- Train smart? You probably know when you need them.
- Train casually? Water, real food, and common sense are enough.
So next time you reach for that neon powder or ultra-hydration tablet, ask yourself: Am I fuelling performance—or just buying into the buzz?