Electrolytes: The Complete Guide

What are electrolytes, really?

Electrolytes are minerals that conduct electrical current in body fluid. That is the whole definition.

When you dissolve salt in water, the salt splits into two ions: one positive (Na⁺) and one negative (Cl⁻). Those charges are what let signals travel through the nervous system, the heart beat rhythmically, and the muscles contract. No electrolytes, no biological function.

The body keeps a careful balance on the concentration in your blood. Too high: strain on the kidneys, blood pressure rises. Too low: hyponatraemia, weakness, in extreme cases loss of consciousness. All of this is regulated automatically by the kidneys, the thirst centre and hormones, you don't need to think about it day to day.

So when does a supplement help? When the losses are bigger than food can make up for. And those are specific situations, not a daily habit for everyone.

The five most important electrolytes and what they do

Two borderline cases that often get mentioned but don't count as primary electrolytes:

• Bicarbonate (HCO₃⁻), pH balance
• Phosphate (PO₄³⁻), energy (ATP), bone density

For practical purposes, sodium, potassium and magnesium are the three to care about in a supplement. Calcium you get from dairy or fortified oat and soy drinks. Chloride comes along naturally with sodium.

Heey! Hydrate range is built on that trio: sodium, potassium and magnesium. Plus a themed topping per variant, Glow has Coll-egan® vegan collagen and hyaluronic acid, Focus has lion's mane and B vitamins, Defend has zinc and probiotics.

Signs that you're low on electrolytes

These are the common symptoms, no single one is proof, but several together often point in that direction:

• Muscle cramps, especially at night or after training. Classic magnesium or potassium shortfall.
• Dizziness when you stand up quickly, a sodium-related dip in blood pressure
• Headache, can be dehydration or an electrolyte imbalance
• Tired despite enough sleep, sodium and potassium play a role in cellular energy
• Palpitations or an irregular pulse, potassium and magnesium
• Unusual sugar or salt cravings, the body can signal for specific minerals
• Tingling in hands or feet, calcium or magnesium
• Worse training performance, when you've sweated through your clothes and haven't replaced it

Suspect a serious deficiency, or have symptoms that won't go away? Ask for a blood test at your health centre. A general multivitamin + a balanced diet + an electrolyte supplement when needed sorts out most mild cases.

When do you need electrolytes beyond what food gives you?

For most people, most days, you don't. A balanced diet (green vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, a little salt) delivers enough. These are the situations where you need a top-up:

1. Training over 60 min or in heat. Sweat costs you both fluid and salt, water alone isn't enough to make up for it.

2. A heatwave or a hot day in town. A sweaty summer day on the bike or at a festival can cost you 1–2 litres of sweat, without you noticing.

3. Stomach bugs, diarrhoea, vomiting. Here a rehydration solution is the first choice (see the separate guide), heavy electrolyte losses in a short time.

4. Hangover. Alcohol is a diuretic, you lose both fluid and salts through urine. Electrolytes in the morning help.

5. Low-carb or keto diets. As glycogen stores shrink you also lose water + sodium faster. Many people notice "keto flu" on day 3–5, that is often a sodium shortfall.

6. Long flights. Cabin air is dry (often 10–20 % humidity), and dehydration builds up over a long flight.

7. Pregnancy, breastfeeding. Higher fluid needs + changed mineral handling. Talk to your midwife.

When food is enough:

• Ordinary days without hard training
• Short walks
• Gym sessions under 45–60 min at normal temperature
• Healthy and not ill

If you're not in one of the "need it" categories and still drink electrolytes daily, it does no harm (at a normal dose), but it isn't necessary either. Heey! doesn't market Hydrate as something you have to take every day, it's a tool for specific situations.

Electrolytes and training, what the research says

Sports science has studied electrolyte supplements for decades. The consensus:

Sessions under 60 min, normal temperature: water is enough. You don't lose enough salt for it to affect performance.

Sessions of 60–90 min, or high intensity: electrolytes during the session can lower perceived exertion and help prevent cramp. 500–750 ml of electrolyte drink during the session, 250–500 ml after.

Sessions over 90 min, marathon, ultra: electrolytes become critical. There's a hyponatraemia risk if you drink water only. Here you also need carbohydrates (sports drink or gel), not just salts.

Strength training specifically: less sweat impact, but magnesium and potassium help muscle contraction and recovery. Many lifters notice fewer cramps with an electrolyte drink after the session.

What doesn't work: drinking electrolytes and expecting a performance boost without having lost salt first. You can't "boost" hydration above the body's normal balance, it simply excretes the surplus.

Electrolytes in summer and in heat

This is where electrolytes go from niche product to obvious choice. Sweden doesn't have a tropical climate, but a heatwave in June to August, a festival like Way Out West, cycling to work in 28°C or a run at Göteborgsvarvet (Sweden's big half marathon) can drain you fast.

Practical guidelines for heat:

• During a heatwave: a glass of electrolyte mix in the morning + one during the day, even if you're not training
• Training outdoors at 25°C+: always with electrolytes. 250 ml before the session + 250 ml every 30 min during it
• Festival, a full day in the sun: two servings of electrolytes + plain water + a proper meal with salt. Skip the "beer only" approach, it dehydrates you.
• Long rides or runs: reckon on 750–1000 ml of electrolyte drink per hour. Scale up if you sweat heavily or are used to bigger volumes.

Signs that you're already too dehydrated: headache, unusual tiredness, trouble concentrating, dark urine, mild dizziness. If that's you, sit down in the shade, drink electrolytes (not just water), ideally with a salty snack (olives, nuts, sun-dried tomatoes).

Is electrolyte powder better than a sports drink?

Depends what it's for.

Classic sports drinks (isotonic):

• Contain 6–8 % sugar (carbohydrates)
• Designed for long sessions where you need calories along the way
• Good for: marathons, 90+ min on the bike, football matches in the heat
• Not good for: daily hydration, shorter sessions, "always on the desk"

Electrolyte powder (Heey! Hydrate and similar):

• Water + salts, 0–2 g sugar per serving
• Designed for daily hydration or shorter sessions
• Good for: everyday life, gym sessions, heat, hangovers, office days
• Not good for: ultra-long sessions where you genuinely need the calories along the way

Running a marathon? Sports drink, you need the carbohydrates. Want to hydrate better day to day without drinking 25 g of sugar? Electrolyte powder. Two tools for two different jobs.

Why Heey! left out the sugar

Classic sports drinks contain sugar for two reasons: carbohydrates for performance, and glucose helps sodium absorption in the gut (sodium-glucose co-transport). For acute dehydration or long sessions that's a feature, not a bug.

For everyday use it's mostly extra calories and a sweet tooth. An average 500 ml sports bottle = 30 g sugar = ~120 kcal. Drink two a day for a month and you've added roughly 1 kg of potential weight gain, without noticing.

Hydrate has 0 g added sugar. The flavour comes from natural flavourings and small amounts of steviol glycosides (a stevia-based sweetener, safety-assessed and approved by EFSA). Need the classic sugar-based rehydration solution for an acute stomach bug? Pick one up at the pharmacy. For daily hydration, training and heat, Hydrate is the better everyday choice.

How do you choose the right electrolyte supplement?

Three things to check on the label:

1. Mineral content per serving Look for: sodium 200–500 mg, potassium 150–400 mg, magnesium 50–150 mg per serving. Lower = "electrolytes on the label" without the function. Higher = usually at medical rehydration level (pharmacy ORS).

2. Sugar content No added sugar (0 g) is the best choice for daily hydration. If you have long sessions where you genuinely need carbohydrates, buy a separate sports drink for those occasions.

3. Additives and sweeteners Stevia-based sweeteners (steviol glycosides, EFSA-approved) are a good alternative to sugar. Avoid sucralose and aspartame if you'd rather not have them (a taste preference). Artificial colourings and unnecessary preservatives: skip them.

Heey!'s Hydrate ticks all three, natural flavours, 0 g added sugar, clinically relevant mineral levels.