Do You Need Electrolytes or Is Water Enough?
Walk into any supermarket near Archway station and you will find a whole shelf of electrolyte tablets, powders and brightly coloured sports drinks. Some promise more energy, some promise faster recovery, and some are clearly aimed at your kids. So, do you need electrolytes, or is a glass of tap water enough? As a coach who trains busy parents every week, I get asked this a lot. The honest answer is that most of the time water does the job, but there are a few situations where electrolytes really do help.
What electrolytes actually are
Electrolytes are minerals in your body that carry a small electrical charge. The main ones are sodium, potassium, chloride, magnesium and calcium. They help control fluid balance, muscle contractions and nerve signals. You lose some when you sweat, and you lose a lot more when you have diarrhoea or are being sick.
Here is the part the adverts leave out: you also get electrolytes from normal food. Bread, cheese, soup, bananas, potatoes, milk, yoghurt, beans and vegetables all contain them. If you eat regular meals, your body is usually very good at keeping the balance right on its own.
Do you need electrolytes after a normal workout?
For most people doing a 30 to 60 minute workout, the answer is no. The NHS guidance on water and drinks says that if you have been sweating from physical activity, you need extra fluid, and that water is the best way to replace it. The general guide is 6 to 8 cups or glasses of fluid a day, more if you are active, in a hot place, pregnant or breastfeeding.
A 45-minute bootcamp class, a brisk walk up Highgate Hill or a run around the Heath on a mild day will make you sweat, but not usually enough to need a special drink. Water before and after, then your next meal, is plenty.
If you want to check how much you need day to day, my guide on how much water you should drink breaks it down simply.
When electrolytes can genuinely help
There are times when adding electrolytes makes sense for adults:
- Long, sweaty sessions. Exercise lasting well over an hour, especially in hot weather, such as a long run, a big cycle or a charity walk.
- Heavy sweaters. If you finish a workout with white salty marks on your clothes or a headache, you may lose more sodium than average.
- Very hot days. Long spells outdoors in a heatwave, particularly if you are active.
- Illness with diarrhoea or vomiting. This is the most important one. The NHS page on dehydration explains that you can get oral rehydration sachets from a pharmacy to mix with water, and that a pharmacist can advise which to use.
For the first three, a pharmacy rehydration sachet, a sports drink, or simply a salty snack such as a cheese sandwich or a bowl of soup with your water will often do the job.
Signs you might be getting it wrong
Being dehydrated is uncomfortable, but drinking huge amounts of plain water during very long events can also cause problems, as it can dilute the sodium in your blood. That is rare for everyday exercisers, but it is a good reason not to force down litres “just in case”. Drink to thirst and check your pee: pale straw colour is a good sign.
Common signs of dehydration in adults, listed by the NHS, include feeling thirsty, dark yellow strong-smelling pee, feeling dizzy or lightheaded, feeling tired, a dry mouth, lips and eyes, and peeing fewer than four times a day. If you or a family member has signs of severe dehydration, or symptoms are not improving, contact NHS 111 or your GP. You can read more in my post on hydration and the signs of dehydration.
Do kids need electrolytes?
For healthy children playing in the park, at football practice or in PE, no. The NHS Healthier Together guide on healthy drinking for children says water is best because it does not cause tooth decay, with milk in moderation. It also lists caffeine among the things children should avoid, which rules out energy drinks entirely.
Many sports drinks marketed to kids are mostly sugar, colouring and flavouring. They can add a lot of sugar to a child’s day without them noticing. Save them for very long tournaments in hot weather, if at all, and offer water and a piece of fruit at half-time instead.
The big exception is illness. If your child has diarrhoea or vomiting, they can lose fluids quickly. Ask a pharmacist about rehydration sachets suitable for their age, and speak to NHS 111 or your GP if you are worried, especially for babies and young children. For everyday amounts, see my guide on how much water children should drink.
A simple hydration plan for training days
- Morning: a glass of water with breakfast. Tea and coffee count towards fluid too.
- Before training: a glass of water in the hour before. Do not gulp a litre at the door.
- During a 45 to 60 minute session: sips of water when you want them.
- After: a glass or two of water, then a normal meal with some salt in it, such as eggs on toast, a jacket potato with beans, or rice and chicken.
- Long or hot sessions over 90 minutes: consider a rehydration sachet or sports drink, and include a salty snack.
Where a bootcamp class fits in
In my classes you will sweat, but you will not need anything fancier than a water bottle. The sessions are indoors in a church hall, so you are not baking in the sun or freezing in the rain. If you often feel flat and foggy in the afternoon, a class like SYP Recharge for energy and focus plus decent hydration is a better fix than another fizzy drink.
FAQs
Is it bad to drink electrolytes every day?
For most healthy adults, an occasional electrolyte drink is fine, but there is no need to have one every day if you eat regular meals and are not doing long, sweaty exercise. Many products contain salt and sugar you do not need. If you have high blood pressure or kidney problems, check with your GP before using them regularly.
Can I give my child an adult sports drink?
It is better not to. They are high in sugar and some contain caffeine. Water is best for active children, and pharmacy rehydration sachets are the right choice when they are unwell.
Do coconut water and milk count as electrolyte drinks?
Both contain electrolytes naturally. Milk in particular is a decent recovery drink after exercise because it also has protein. Neither is needed for a normal workout, though.
Book your first class
Bring a water bottle, that is all you need. SYP Bootcamp runs 45-minute small-group classes in Archway N19, indoors and weatherproof, with a maximum of 10 people and an easier and harder option for every exercise. It is £15 a class. Book your £15 class here or call or WhatsApp me on 07301 512215. If you would like to see how my one-to-one coaching works, including how I help clients with hydration and food, read how SYP Fitness personal training works.
About the author
Artem Olekhnovych is a personal trainer in Archway and the founder of SYP Fitness and SYP Bootcamp. He has coached clients in Archway, Highgate and across North London for over 10 years, and runs small-group bootcamp classes for busy mums and dads. Read reviews from his 1-1 clients.
