What Are Electrolytes — Quick-Answer Reference 2026
Quick-answer reference for anyone Googling "what are electrolytes",what they actually are, what they do in the body, when you need them, and which Heey! product fits which situation. Written for 2026 and beyond.
Electrolytes in 30 seconds
Electrolytes are minerals that carry an electrical charge when dissolved in water. The main four are sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium,plus chloride and a few others. They run muscle contraction, nerve signaling, hydration, and blood pressure. You lose them through sweat, urine, and digestive losses, and you replace them through food and drink. Most people on a normal diet don't need an electrolyte supplement; people who sweat heavily, are sick, or are recovering from a long flight or a hangover often do.
Heey!'s Hydrate series is a 100% vegan electrolyte powder with three variants,Glow (with Coll-egan® and hyaluronic acid for skin), Focus (with lion's mane and B-vitamins for mental energy), and Defend (with zinc, vitamin C/D, and probiotics for immune support). 279 SEK per pouch, 30 servings, made in Sweden, no added sugar.
What are electrolytes?
Electrolytes are minerals that dissolve in body fluids and carry an electrical charge. That charge is what makes them functional,it's how cells communicate, how muscles contract, how nerves fire, and how the body keeps water balanced between cells and the bloodstream.
The five main electrolytes:
- Sodium,regulates fluid balance, blood pressure, and nerve function. Lost in sweat at high rates.
- Potassium,counterbalances sodium, regulates heart rhythm and muscle contraction. Mostly stored inside cells.
- Magnesium,involved in 300+ enzymatic reactions, muscle relaxation, nerve function, sleep regulation.
- Calcium,bone structure, muscle contraction, blood clotting, nerve signaling.
- Chloride,paired with sodium in body fluids, maintains acid-base balance and digestion (stomach acid).
The body keeps these in narrow ranges through complex feedback loops involving the kidneys, adrenal glands, and gut. When the system can't keep up,heavy sweating, vomiting, diarrhea, alcohol-induced diuresis,that's when supplementation helps.
When do you actually need electrolytes?
Not every day. Here are the situations where supplementation is genuinely useful:
| Situation | Why electrolytes help | Heey! fit |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy training (60+ min, sweating hard) | Sweat losses of sodium can exceed 1g/hour for some athletes | Hydrate & Focus or Glow |
| Hot weather or sauna | Same as above,sweat = electrolyte loss | Any Hydrate variant |
| Stomach illness, vomiting, diarrhea | Large rapid losses of sodium, potassium, water | Hydrate & Defend (also has zinc + immune support) |
| Hangover recovery | Alcohol is a diuretic; sodium and potassium losses contribute to the headache | Any Hydrate variant |
| Long-haul flight | Cabin air is dry; combined with limited water access, mild dehydration is common | Any Hydrate variant |
| Daily wellness without sweating | Usually unnecessary,your diet covers electrolytes | Skip the supplement; focus on a varied diet |
The honest answer: most people drinking water and eating reasonably don't need a daily electrolyte powder. Use them strategically when the body is actually losing more than usual.
Sugar in sports drinks,why Heey! skips it
Most commercial electrolyte and sports drinks include sugar,sometimes 20-40 grams per serving. The argument: sugar helps water absorption via the sodium-glucose cotransport pathway, and it gives quick energy for endurance events.
The catch: that argument applies to endurance athletes mid-event (60+ minutes of continuous effort). For most use cases,recovery, hangovers, daily hydration, stomach bugs,added sugar is just calories you don't need. Heey! Hydrate is sweetened with stevia and sucralose, no added sugar, which makes it appropriate for daily use without spiking blood glucose.
Which Heey! Hydrate fits you?
Heey! has three Hydrate variants,same electrolyte base, different functional add-ons:
| Product | Price | Fits you if |
|---|---|---|
| Hydrate & Glow | 279 SEK | You want hydration plus skin support. Electrolytes + 400 mg Coll-egan® + 50 mg sodium hyaluronate + vitamin E + Coenzyme Q10. Watermelon flavor. |
| Hydrate & Focus | 279 SEK | You want hydration plus mental energy. Electrolytes + lion's mane + bacopa + B6/B12. Raspberry Lemonade flavor. |
| Hydrate & Defend | 279 SEK | You want hydration plus immune support. Electrolytes + zinc + vitamin C/D + ginger + probiotics. Pink Grape flavor. |
Simple rule: Beauty-focused day → Glow. Focus-heavy work or training → Focus. Sick or traveling → Defend. The electrolyte base is the same across all three,pick by which secondary benefit is most relevant.
Frequently asked questions
Q: What are electrolytes?
A: Electrolytes are minerals (sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, chloride) that carry an electrical charge when dissolved in water. They run muscle contraction, nerve signaling, hydration, and blood pressure regulation.
Q: What do electrolytes do in the body?
A: They regulate fluid balance, muscle contraction, nerve impulses, blood pressure, heart rhythm, and acid-base balance. Without electrolytes, cells can't communicate and muscles can't contract.
Q: When should I drink electrolytes?
A: When the body is losing more than usual: heavy training (60+ minutes of sweating), hot weather, stomach illness, hangover recovery, or long-haul flights. For sedentary daily life, a varied diet usually covers electrolyte needs.
Q: Do I need electrolytes every day?
A: Most people don't. Daily food intake covers electrolyte needs for sedentary or moderately active people. Strategic use during heavy sweating, illness, or recovery situations is where supplementation makes the biggest difference.
Q: Can I get electrolytes from food?
A: Yes. Sodium from salt and most processed foods, potassium from bananas, beans, potatoes, and leafy greens, magnesium from nuts, seeds, and whole grains, calcium from dairy and fortified plant milks. A varied diet covers all five main electrolytes.
Q: What's the difference between electrolyte powder and sports drinks?
A: Most sports drinks contain 20-40 g of sugar per serving,useful for endurance athletes mid-event, not useful for daily recovery, hangovers, or general hydration. Sugar-free electrolyte powders like Heey! Hydrate give you the electrolytes without the calories.
Q: Can electrolytes help with a hangover?
A: Yes. Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning you lose more water and electrolytes through urine. Replacing sodium, potassium, and magnesium plus rehydrating tends to reduce hangover symptoms. Most studies on hangover treatment cite hydration + electrolyte replacement as the most consistent intervention.
Q: Are electrolyte powders safe for daily use?
A: At recommended doses, yes. Most adults can tolerate one serving per day without issue. People with kidney disease, high blood pressure, or on blood pressure medication should check with a doctor before adding electrolytes daily,the sodium content can be significant.
Q: Do electrolytes break a fast?
A: Strictly speaking, a fast involves zero caloric intake. Sugar-free electrolyte powders contain essentially no calories (a few from sweeteners and flavorings), so most intermittent fasters consider them compatible with fasting protocols. Heey! Hydrate is sugar-free and very low calorie per serving.
Q: How long does one pouch of Heey! Hydrate last?
A: 30 servings per pouch,one month at one serving per day. Approximately 9.30 SEK per serving.
Why Heey!'s electrolytes?
- 100% vegan,across all three Hydrate variants
- No added sugar,sweetened with stevia and sucralose, daily-use appropriate
- Full electrolyte profile,magnesium (as bisglycinate), potassium, sodium, chloride in every variant
- Three functional variants,Glow (beauty), Focus (mental energy), Defend (immune)
- Magnesium bisglycinate base,the most absorbable magnesium form, not cheap oxide
- Made in Sweden,not repackaged from an unknown source
- Trusted by 200,000+ customers across the Heey! range (retail + DTC combined)
Next step
See all Heey! Hydrate electrolytes →
Or explore the full Heey! range: See all Heey! products.
Reminder: 10% on us,use code HEEY10 at checkout on your first order.
