The latest marketing hype is electrolytes, and they are everywhere.
Electrolytes have flooded supermarket shelves.
They come in a variety of flavours, packaged in sleek, colourful sachets with catchy taglines.
We are being convinced that drinking water alone is insufficient and must be supplemented with electrolytes.
Wellness companies are selling the unleashed potential of electrolytes as a way to make you more focused, stronger, and the best version of yourself.
The reality is quite different.
Electrolytes refer to a broad range of minerals such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and chloride.
When dissolved in water, which makes up approximately 60 per cent of our body weight, they carry an electrical charge, either positive or negative.
This water is found both inside and outside our cells. Electrolytes influence hydration, muscle contraction, blood pressure, and the maintenance of pH balance.
Most of the electrolytes we need come from our daily food and drink. Additional supplementation is usually unnecessary.
Extra electrolytes will not improve performance unless the body is deficient, which most people are not.
The body loses water through urine, sweat, vomiting, diarrhoea, and blood loss.
Fluid loss is regulated by the kidneys, which control blood pressure and detect salt levels in the blood.
The body can temporarily compensate and continue to function as normal until fluids are replaced.
This explains why most people can meet their electrolyte requirements through diet and hydration alone.
Previously, electrolytes were used for acute fluid loss during illness or intense physical activity to support recovery.
Today, water bottles have become fashionable accessories, and electrolytes appear to be the perfect marketing “add-on.”
Social media influencers play a major role in spreading the misconception that without added electrolytes, we are not adequately hydrated.
For those regularly adding electrolytes to their water, there may be real long-term health consequences.
When the body is overloaded with sodium, it retains water.
While this can maintain hydration, in some cases, it may also lead to hypertension, especially since the majority of adults already consume more sodium than the recommended limit of five grams of salt per day.
In extreme cases, excess sodium can cause swelling of brain tissue, known as cerebral oedema.
Excessive magnesium intake can also be harmful, resulting in low blood pressure, confusion, and muscle weakness.
Water is essential, but electrolytes are not. Our bodies already have the tools to stay hydrated and perform at their best.
We must focus on hydrating ourselves with water and following a balanced diet instead of falling victim to social media misinformation.