Electrolytes: Potential Benefits, Known Risks, and More
Note: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not approve supplements for safety or effectiveness. Talk to a healthcare professional about whether a supplement is the right fit for your individual health and about any potential drug interactions or safety concerns.
Electrolytes are minerals that contain a natural electric charge when they are dissolved in water or body fluids, such as blood. The main electrolytes in the body are:
Bicarbonate
Calcium
Chloride
Magnesium
Potassium
Sodium
Under normal circumstances, the body is good at maintaining the right electrolyte balance. There are times, however, when getting more electrolytes through food, beverages, or supplements may be helpful, particularly if you sweat a lot, urinate often, or experience severe diarrhea or vomiting.
Potential Health Benefits of Electrolytes
Electrolytes play a key role in several major bodily functions, including hydration, heart rhythm, and nerve and muscle activity. Their health effects can vary depending on electrolyte type and quantity.
Help Maintain Hydration Levels
Electrolytes help keep you hydrated by enabling cells to absorb and retain water effectively. Getting electrolytes in beverages or supplements helps replace minerals lost through sweat during physical activity, says Cassandra Padula Burke, RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist at Catalyst Performance Lab in Finksburg, Maryland.
Non-athletes don’t usually require sports drinks and supplements for hydration; health experts recommend water instead. But if you’ve been exercising intensely and sweating a lot, you may benefit. Just keep an eye on the sugar content, which can be significant.
May Prevent Muscle Cramps During Exercise
Electrolytes regulate muscle contractions, so losing too many of them in sweat and overexertion can lead to muscle cramps.
Burke says drinking plenty of fluids and replenishing your body with electrolytes while you work out may help prevent muscle cramps. One study found that an electrolyte beverage was associated with lower risk of cramping during exercise compared to water.
May Lower the Risk of Heat-Related Illnesses
“In hot weather or during intense exercise, electrolytes assist the body with regulating temperature, which reduces the risk of heat exhaustion or heatstroke,” Burke says.
Heat exhaustion and heatstroke are severe heat-related illnesses that require immediate treatment. Heat exhaustion occurs when you become so dehydrated that your cardiovascular system struggles to pump blood throughout the body. Heatstroke develops when your body temperature gets dangerously high to the point of overheating the tissues and organs.
For people who do physical work or exercise in hot temperatures, electrolyte supplementation can protect against heatstroke by helping the body maintain a proper temperature and supporting cardiovascular function.
Potential Risks and Side Effects of Electrolytes
Because many bodily functions rely on the proper balance of electrolytes, getting too many can be just as damaging as not getting enough, says Sharon Browning, MD, a family medicine physician at Atrium Health Primary Care Lake Park Family Medicine in Indian Trail, North Carolina.
Risks
Burke cautions that it’s important to use electrolyte supplements in moderation and stay on top of water intake. “Consuming only electrolyte supplements without adequate water intake can cause fluid imbalances and lead to dehydration,” she says.
Most people excrete excess electrolytes through sweat and urine before an imbalance can have negative effects, but those with kidney disease may be unable to do so.
Because some electrolyte supplements contain sugar, people with diabetes should factor those amounts in when considering their daily carbohydrate intake.
Side Effects
An electrolyte imbalance causes side effects, whether you get too many electrolytes or too few. These side effects include:
In severe cases, overconsumption of electrolytes can lead to shock, seizure, and death, says Dr. Browning.
Supplement Forms of Electrolytes
According to Sarah Alsing, RD, a registered dietitian and owner of Delightfully Fueled in Orange County, California, electrolyte supplements come in many forms:
Powders
Premixed beverages (like sports drinks)
Tablets
Gummies
Gels
Food Sources of Electrolytes
Electrolytes are easy to find in a balanced diet. The foods below contain significant amounts:
Calcium: Milk and milk products, eggs, fish with bones, fortified breakfast cereals, some fruits and vegetables, including dark, leafy greens and citrus fruits
Chloride: Olives, rye, tomatoes, lettuce, celery, and seaweed
Magnesium: Whole grains, nuts, beans, lentils
Potassium: Sweet potatoes, yogurt, bananas, avocado, prunes, and raisins
How to Choose and Store Electrolyte Supplements
Use these best practices when selecting an electrolyte supplement.
Selection
If you don’t have blood sugar issues like hyperglycemia and you use an electrolyte supplement when you exercise, choose one that contains both sugar and electrolytes. Research shows that mixture may be more effective for rehydration during or after exercise than electrolytes alone.
Alsing says the form of electrolyte supplement you choose doesn’t impact its benefits, so pick whichever ones appeal to you. If you prefer to sip a beverage, pick a sports drink or powdered supplement you mix in water. Gummies and gels tend to be easiest to carry and eat on the go, so these may be best if you’re on a run or bike ride.
Storage
The proper storage of an electrolyte supplement will vary by form and brand. Follow the instructions on the package.
Dosage of Electrolytes
Your body requires a specific amount of each electrolyte per day. The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) is a helpful starting point, since this is the amount needed to meet the nutritional needs of almost all healthy adults. Below, find the RDA for each electrolyte:
You may need more than the RDA for certain electrolytes if you sweat a lot (especially from physical activity or hot temperatures), experience vomiting or diarrhea, or have certain health conditions that impact your body’s ability to balance electrolytes.
Alsing says sodium is an important electrolyte to watch because it’s the primary electrolyte lost in sweat. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends taking in 300 to 600 mg of sodium per hour during exercise lasting longer than two hours.
The Takeaway
Electrolytes are electrically charged minerals that are found in many foods and beverages as well as dietary supplements. They impact several major bodily systems, including hydration levels and nerve and muscle function.
The main types of electrolytes include bicarbonate, calcium, chloride, magnesium, potassium, and sodium. They can help with hydration, prevent muscle cramps, and prevent heat-related illnesses.
Supplements can be helpful for replenishing electrolytes after excessive sweating, urination, vomiting, or diarrhea. The average person probably doesn’t need them.
People with high blood pressure, heart disease, or kidney disease should consult their doctor before taking an electrolyte supplement.
