Best electrolyte supplements for replenishing your body’s salts and minerals
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The word ‘electrolyte’ to the uninitiated might sound like it’s been plucked from the realms of science fiction.
Little of the population are aware of just what electrolytes are, how they can contribute to your overall health and – most importantly – how they relate to hydration.
What are electrolytes?
Put simply, electrolytes are the minerals which are essential to many of the body’s most vital functions. These minerals include sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium. They help to maintain the pH levels of your blood and work to carry electrical signals from nerves to muscles – thereby aiding in the general maintenance of your entire nervous system.
Though the most common means of replenishing electrolytes is simply through drinking water and staying hydrated, this isn’t always enough to maintain a proper balance of mineral salts in the body.
Why are electrolytes important?
Electrolytes help to ensure your body retains the correct amount of fluid – in other words, they help you stay perfectly hydrated. As such, they also help to promote the proper functioning of the body’s major organs, and further aid in transporting nutrients into cells.
What happens when your body is low on electrolytes?
Nurturing the concentration of electrolytes in your system can mean different things for different people. For instance, if you find that you’re often dehydrated and suffer from brain fog, this might be an unknown consequence of not providing your body with enough salts and minerals to function properly – resulting in a need to supplement.
Likewise, you might already be aware of all things electrolyte-related thanks to your special interest in the world of fitness. In this case, you might require even more supplementing to manage your hydration levels after a particularly sweaty gym session for fear of suffering from extreme muscle cramps later in the day.
Georgie Harris of Health Made, a bespoke health and fitness coach who made the transition from full-time PT coaching to a broader focus on the optimisation of personal health on a holistic level stresses their importance: “We live in a world right now where everyone is dehydrated. This is particularly the case in the morning when we wake up after eight to twelve hours of fasting. Our body needs its electrolytes replenished, so supplementing first thing is a fantastic way to keep your body in check for the rest of the day.” This might be in the form of an electrolyte powder, or even half a teaspoon of salt in your morning glass of water.
Harris explains “Signs that your body is low on electrolytes include low energy, muscle cramps when exercising, retaining water and general puffiness, feeling thirsty no matter how much you drink, and even brain fog”.
She adds, “I especially promote supplementing electrolytes to female clients due to the fact that they support the maintenance of magnesium and potassium in particular, which can help to regulate female hormones and even menstrual cycles.”
Too much of anything is never a good idea, and Harris also warns us not to over-supplement on electrolytes for fear of creating the opposite effect: “My general rule of thumb for supplementing electrolytes is having them first thing in the morning, or straight after exercise”.
Best electrolyte supplements at a glance
- Best for daily use: The Phizz Effervescent Flavour Bundle - £7.99, Phizz
- Best for tasty flavours: Hux Hydration - £24, Hux
- Best for replenishing after a night out: Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier - £29.36, Amazon
- Best for gym-goers: Bulk Electrolyte Powder - £4.47, Bulk
- Best for a tried-and-true rehydration solution: Dioralyte - £4.09, Amazon
- Best for optimal ratio: LMNT Recharge Electrolytes - Variety Pack - £17.09, Healf
- Best for long-distance runners: Science In Sport Go Energy + Electrolyte Gels - £26.40, Amazon
- Best for vegans: BodyHealth Perfect Amino Electrolytes - £17.99, Healf
Keep scrolling for the best electrolyte supplements on the market to help rehydrate and replenish your body.
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Phizz 3-in-1 Hydration, Electrolytes & Vitamins
Best for: daily use
Think of Phizz like taking your daily Berocca, except with even more added benefits. Unlike other effervescent tablets on the market, Phizz functions as both a daily multivitamin as well as a fantastic rehydration remedy. The brand’s science-backed formula helps to triple water intake, deliver natural energy, and support the day-to-day workings of your immune system.
There are four flavours to choose from, including your classic orange, apple and blackcurrant, mixed berry, and mango. Simply pick whichever flavour tickles your fancy on any given morning, pop it into a bottle of water and be on your merry way. Phizz is suitable for vegans and vegetarians and is halal, dairy, soy, and gluten-free. It also doesn’t contain any artificial colours or flavours. Good stuff.
Hux Hydration
These luxurious-looking hydration tablets promise to deliver more zinc than 10 cups of spinach, and the same amount of potassium as three bananas. If you simply don't have the time to make a delicious superfood smoothie after every workout, Hux can deliver both nutrients and those much-needed post-exercise electrolytes faster than you can say "water, please!"
While the vast majority of electrolyte supplements are offered in outdated and medicinal flavour combinations, Hux offers three tasty options to choose from: watermelon, ginger and lemongrass, as well as lemon and elderflower. If you're feeling sceptical due to that surprisingly high price tag, Hux offers a free welcome pack so that you can dip your toes in.
Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier – Electrolyte Drink Mix, Lemon Lime
Best for: replenishing after a night-out
An incredibly popular rehydration remedy amongst our friends across the pond, Liquid I.V. is known to most as a hangover godsend. This is because Liquid IV is powered by an innovative technology known as CTT – otherwise known as Cellular Transport Technology. CTT is the optimal ratio of sodium, potassium, glucose, and water which works to deliver replenishing mineral salts and hydration rapidly into your bloodstream. According to Liquid I.V., CTT hydrates you 2-3 times faster and more efficiently than water alone.
Bulk Electrolyte Powder
Best for: gym-goers
As you can probably already tell by the brand name, this 100 per cent electrolyte powder is targeted towards the fitness fanatics among us. It contains sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium to help promote normal muscle function – especially for endurance athletes. Once again, as the name suggests, you can order this supplemental powder in measurements of 100g, 500g and even 1kg.
Like your classic gym buff protein powders, this supplement is designed to be mixed with your favourite shake or carbohydrate drink.
Dioralyte - Fast and Effective Supplement Treatment for Reducing Dehydration and Replacing Electrolytes
Best for: a tried-and-true rehydration solution
If you’ve ever suffered from a tummy bug either during your childhood or in your adult life, a parental figure of some sort will have thrust a box of Dioralyte into you hands. It doesn’t taste particularly good, but it’s a cheap and cheerful option that provides immediate results, replenishing those essential mineral salts in a jiffy.
LMNT Recharge Electrolytes - Variety Pack
Best for: optimal ratio
For a specifically designed ratio of electrolytes, look no further than LMNT. With 1000mg of sodium, 200mg potassium and 60mg of magnesium, this electrolyte powder works to replenish the mineral salts that we lose the fastest while maintaining healthy levels of all the other essential minerals.
Science In Sport Go Energy + Electrolyte Gels
Best for: long-distance runners
Running gels are an incredibly popular means of staying replenished during long distance-runs, and for good reason. You’ll often see these brightly coloured sachets from SIS tucked neatly into the running vests of marathon and ultra-marathon runners.
This is because Isotonic energy gels rapidly supply easily digestible carbohydrates for energy alongside sodium, magnesium, and potassium to help replenish the mineral salts you lose through sweating. If you’re a runner who has ever experienced an upset stomach caused by the wrong amount of nourishment mid-run, or severe cramps due to dehydration – pick up a pack of these vegan, dairy free, gluten free, wheat free and nut free gels.
BodyHealth Perfect Amino Electrolytes - Mixed Berry
Best for: vegans
Though we're told not to judge a book by its cover, we can't help but be immediately attracted to the calming and aesthetically pleasing design of this electrolyte powder. Luckily, BodyHealth's Perfect Amino Electrolytes does just what it says on the tin - deliver hydration, optimise workouts and taste good while doing it.
Formulated to help battle pre and post-workout fatigue by delivering the essential vitamins and minerals that allow us to maintain proper hydration, Perfect Amino Electrolytes is available in a mixed berry or strawberry flavour.