TL;DR Don’t choose something with super high amounts of sodium, carbohydrates or sugar unless you need to test based on exercise level or sweat.
Electrolytes are minerals that are naturally found in your body, said Amy Brownstein, a registered nutritionist at Mynetdiary. These include magnesium, calcium, chloride, sodium, potassium, and phosphorus. Electrolyte powders usually contain these powders, as well as sugars and carbohydrates, which may help absorb the electrolyte.
Humans usually lose sodium when they exercise or spend time in hot temperatures, and carbohydrates are important to help replenish and preserve muscle glycogen storage carbohydrates to prevent fatigue, especially if you are active for over 30 minutes. Basically, if you are working out a lot and don’t replenish lost carbs, you’ll feel tired faster – especially for intense workouts or long-term sporting events, in which case she recommends re-adding carbs every 30 to 45 minutes. Sugars such as glucose have similar purposes and can also help replenish muscle glycogen.
If you’re just looking for supplements for your daily life or soothe your hangover-wishing brain, you don’t need too much sodium or carbs. Brownstein says to choose powders in the context of your daily habits and diet; most people already consume the recommended 2,300 mg of sodium daily, so if you don’t use intense exercise to deplete the sodium store, you may not need powders with high sodium content. The same can be said for sugar.
Ultimately, the best way to figure out exactly what you need is to complete a sweat test to analyze the amount of sweat. But, besides that, the best option is to choose a powder that lives in the middle of the concentration of the ingredients unless you sweat a ton, exercise at high temperatures or train at high altitudes. Brownstein added that if you find white chalk residues on your skin or clothing after exercise, you may need to increase your sodium intake.
When it comes to synthetic dyes, Bowles said it is mainly a personal choice. Fortunately, many of our suggestions ignore these ingredients if you want to avoid them.
To avoid stomach upset, the ball mentions that you might want to look for powders with lower levels of magnesium (which may have laxative effects in high amounts). She also mentioned that calcium and iron can interfere with each other’s absorption, so choose a balanced, lower amount of powder. Brownstein mentioned that high sugar and sodium levels can also make some people feel upset in their stomachs, and you should read the label to make sure you don’t over-replenish (or over-nutrition). For example, if you include 100% of the zinc content you recommend every day, make sure you don’t take multivitamins with the same amount of zinc, either.
Per Per Heather Gosnell is a pediatrician, and sodium is a key ingredient in effective fluid rehydration. She also said a little sugar and carbohydrates help your body absorb water, but avoid high-sugar drinks.
The ball says it is looking for powders that include the key electrolytes that are lost: sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium. She said that if possible, to avoid drinking alcohol with artificial sweeteners.
“In addition to causing stomach upset and reducing fluid absorption, repeated consumption of high-sugar foods and beverages can also lead to diabetes and potential weight gain,” added Hallie Zwibel, director of the Center for Sports Medicine at NYIT. He also said: “While electrolyzers can help replenish essential minerals lost from sweat, they should not replace daily drinking water.”
