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In 2024, the electrolyte products industry had an estimated value of $ 38 billion. Drinks and packets, including powders and tablets, deliver electrolyte doses that promise to be the ultimate hydration source.

The thing is there are only a few instances in which you’ll need them. In fact, the body is skilled at managing electrolyte levels on its own. With “water and well-balanced meals, you’ll then regulate and balance yourself to get what you need,” Dr. Ami Bhatt, chief innovation officer at the American College of Cardiology, tells TODAY.com.

Electrolyte packets, Bhatt says, provide minerals including sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium and chloride to maintain pH balance, and to keep our nerves and our muscles, including the ones in the heart, functioning at their best. But we can get all of these minerals from our diets.

You’ll only need an additional electrolyte boost if you’re losing electrolytes at an especially rapid pace. Learn how to spot the moments when you’ll need immediate electrolyte replenishment and, in more common instances, when you won’t.

Never Have I Ever: Used Electrolyte Packets Daily

As a cardiologist, Bhatt only uses electrolyte packets and products when she really needs them. And chances are you don’t need to regularly replenish your electrolytes with packets either, says Bhatt. The only situations that she says call for electrolyte packets are: significant fluid loss from working out in extreme heat, an illness that causes vomiting or diarrhea, and sweating during or after a particularly rigorous bout of exercise.

“Electrolyte packets should be a response to a real physiological event, not a daily ritual,” she says.

“The issue is the normalization of daily electrolyte packets by people who had a normal lunch and went for a 30-minute walk. That is not a medical need,” she says. “That is marketing.”

In most cases, water, natural fruit juice, coconut water and nutrient-dense foods such as “a banana, some watermelon, a handful of almonds, a cup of yogurt” will do the job, says Bhatt.

When it comes to the heart, for those who have underlying medical conditions, turning to an electrolyte drink when you don’t need one can lead to cardiovascular complications if you overdo it, including hyperkalemia. This overdose of potassium “can cause dangerous arrhythmias: bradycardia, heart block, ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation. In severe cases, it can cause cardiac arrest,” says Bhatt.

Some electrolyte packets also contain excess sodium, and one pack can take up most of the daily recommended amount, Bhatt says. Too much sodium can raise blood pressure and cause prolonged hypertension, which can lead to stroke, heart failure or coronary artery disease.

Though uncommon in people with healthy kidneys, overloading on magnesium can also cause low blood pressure, heart conduction abnormalities and, in severe cases, cardiac arrest.

She also worries regular electrolyte packet use could obscure an underlying health condition.

“If you are constantly tired, dizzy, cramping, unusually thirsty, lightheaded or having palpitations, the answer is not automatically more electrolytes,” says Bhatt. If persistent, these symptoms could actually be the result of blood pressure issues, medication side effects, anemia or low iron, glucose, thyroid or kidney issues or heart rhythm problems, she says.

What to Do Instead

“I’m not telling people, ‘Don’t use your electrolytes,’” says Bhatt. Nor is she encouraging you to throw your products away. “I would simply say, ‘Pause, read the label of what you have, think about why you’re using it.’”

Additionally, Bhatt recommends speaking to your health care provider if you use electrolyte products. She advises those with high blood pressure and those with kidney disease, in particular, to speak to a clinician about whether you’re overwhelming your body with electrolytes it doesn’t actually need.

If you’re an avid gym-goer, consult the registered dietitian many gyms have on site, and speak to them about your diet holistically. They can offer advice about whether electrolyte products are necessary, says Bhatt. And, if you’re a runner in a hot or humid area, plan to exercise at times when the temperature is cooler, she adds.

“I’m so happy that people are paying attention to exercise and their health,” says Bhatt. “(I’m) glad they’re thinking about electrolytes, but at the end of the day, remember the human body was born to just hydrate with water and eat a balanced diet, and then maybe make up some losses if you’re pushing yourself a little harder.”