Why you should drink electrolytes if you sweat a lot?

What are electrolytes?

Sodium, potassium, chloride, magnesium, calcium etc. Are minerals which when dissolved in water, become electrolytes. The primary role of electrolytes is to control and maintain the fluid balance inside and around the cells, and they are therefore very important for maintaining the body’s physiological functions.

Overview of electrolyte content and sweat loss

The ability to sweat is essential to being able to regulate your temperature. You can sweat over 2 liters per hour, and insufficient fluid intake can lead to dehydration and overheating in training and competition, which in some situations can lower performance.

Several factors influence whether dehydration can lead to a decrease in performance. First, endurance performance of a certain duration like cycling, marathon and football are, more affected by the degree of dehydration than short-term “strength-power” performances like weightlifting or a 100 m sprint. Second, dehydration has a greater negative impact on performance in hot conditions than in normal conditions. Third, low movement speed disciplines are more affected by dehydration than high movement speed disciplines due to differences in wind chill.

It is important for your understanding of the electrolyte problem that you know more precisely how much of the different electrolytes you have in your body, how much you normally consume per day, and finally how big your electrolyte loss is when you sweat.

The table below shows the numbers from sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium.

The table is based on figures from netdoktor.dk and “nutrition for sports” – https://www.rekordjagt.dk/elektrolytter/

The importance of electrolytes

One of the diet tips in the heat reads “quench your thirst with water”. When you drink water, it helps to maintain the fluid balance when you remember to consume the amount of fluid that corresponds to the fluid loss that you have lost during the day. Fluid requirements can vary greatly due to various factors, including physical activity and climate. Athletes in particular need an increased fluid intake, as during a workout where you sweat a lot, you can lose more fluid than many of us might think.  Along with the fluid that we lose, we also have a loss of salts and minerals throughout the skin. This can create an imbalance between the fluid and the so-called electrolyte balance.

As mentioned above, electrolyte’s primary role in the body is to control and maintain the fluid balance inside and around the cells. Electrolytes are therefore essential for the function of the cells. You may experience dizziness, headaches, muscle fatigue, and muscle camps due to a lack of imbalance in the electrolytes. It may therefore be a good idea to have electrolytes/salts added in the right amounts together with the water intake.

Sports drinks should be considered when:

• You have training sessions with high intensity and the training lasts more than 1-1 ½ hours
• You adjust intensity and training volume (in everyday life, but primarily at training camps)
• You have a lot of sweat loss
• You experience a weakened immune system
• You unintentionally experience losing weight

My picks for the best electrolyte drinks of 2024:

• Best electrolyte drinks for runners: Gatorade Gatorlyte
• Best tasting electrolyte drink: Gnarly Nutrition Hydrate
• Best electrolyte drink during a workout: Berri Fit Active Hydration
• Best overall electrolyte drink: Powerade Mountain Berry Blast

Sources

• Team Danmark – https://www.teamdanmark.dk/til-atleter/sportsernaering/vaeske
• dk – https://www.apotekeren.dk/aktuelt/vand-er-livets-kilde-og-elektrolytterne-er-hemmeligheden-bag-dette
• Rekord jagt – https://www.rekordjagt.dk/elektrolytter/
• Showcase – https://www.si.com/showcase/nutrition/best-electrolyte-drinks