When you sweat, you lose more than water. You also lose electrolytes, the minerals that help your body actually use the water you drink.
What electrolytes do
The main ones are sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium and chloride. Together they keep your fluids balanced, your muscles contracting properly and your nerves firing. Sodium is the one you lose most in sweat.
Signs you might be running low
- Feeling tired or foggy even though you’ve been drinking water
- Afternoon headaches
- Muscle cramps or twitching
- Dizziness when you stand up quickly
- Dark yellow urine
These can have other causes, so see a doctor if they’re frequent or severe.
When to top up
On a normal day in an air-conditioned office, water and regular meals are usually enough. Consider adding electrolytes when:
- You’ve exercised for over an hour, or sweated heavily in a shorter session
- You’ve spent time outdoors in the heat, at the beach, a desert camp or an evening padel match
- You’re breaking a long fast in warm weather
- You’ve just taken a long flight
If you’ve had a stomach bug, use oral rehydration salts from the pharmacy and see a doctor if it doesn’t improve.
Food first
- Dates and bananas for potassium
- Laban and yoghurt for calcium, potassium and fluid
- Coconut water for potassium
- Nuts, seeds and leafy greens for magnesium
- A pinch of salt in your food after a heavy sweat
Choosing an electrolyte drink
Many sports drinks are loaded with sugar. For everyday use, look for low-sugar options with sodium, potassium and magnesium clearly listed. Dissolvable tablets like Nuun are easy to keep in your gym bag or car.
Make your own: simple lemon and honey electrolyte drink
Makes about 1 litre, enough for a workout or a hot afternoon.
- 1 litre water (or half water, half coconut water for extra potassium)
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Juice of half an orange
- 1–2 tablespoons honey
- ¼ teaspoon salt (sea salt or regular)
- Stir the honey and salt into a small splash of warm water until they dissolve.
- Add the lemon and orange juice, then top up with cold water.
- Shake or stir well and chill. Add ice and a few mint leaves if you like.
It should taste just slightly salty, like a light lemonade. If it tastes very salty, add more water. Drink it within a day and keep it in the fridge. A glass bottle is ideal, since citrus can affect the taste of some plastic bottles.
A simple routine for hot days
- Drink a glass of water before your morning coffee.
- Carry a refillable bottle and sip through the day.
- Add electrolytes around exercise or time in the heat.
- Eat water-rich foods like cucumber, watermelon and oranges.
- Aim for pale, straw-coloured urine.
If you have high blood pressure or kidney problems, or follow a low-sodium diet, talk to your doctor before using electrolyte supplements.
Find hydration essentials in our Restore collection.
