They help your body maintain fluid balance, support muscle contractions, keep your nerves functioning properly, and help you perform your best both in and out of the gym.

For us, hydration isn’t just about drinking more. It’s about replacing what we lose.

The Three Electrolytes We Focus On:

1) Sodium (Na)

Sodium gets a bad reputation, but for active people it’s one of the most important electrolytes.

It’s the one you lose the most through sweat, which means your needs naturally increase the more you train, sweat, or spend time in the heat.

Sodium helps maintain fluid balance, supports muscle contractions, and keeps your nervous system functioning properly.

If you’ve ever finished a workout covered in white salt marks, that’s your body telling you you’ve lost a lot of sodium.

2) Potassium (K)

Potassium works alongside sodium to keep your hydration where it needs to be.

It’s also essential for muscle contractions, nerve signalling, and normal heart function.

The interesting part?

Most people actually don’t eat enough potassium.

That’s why we’re always encouraging plenty of fruit, potatoes, yogurt, leafy greens, beans, avocado, squash, and other whole foods that naturally contain it.

3) Chloride (Cl)

Chloride doesn’t get talked about much, but it’s just as important.

It works together with sodium to help maintain hydration and is also needed to produce stomach acid, making it important for healthy digestion too.

We don’t count every milligram of sodium or potassium every day, and we don’t think you need to either.

Instead, we simply match our hydration to the demands of the day.

A light walk and sitting at the computer all day is very different from a heavy leg workout, a long run, or spending 30 minutes in the sauna.

The more you sweat, the more attention you should pay to replacing both fluids and electrolytes.

Think of electrolytes as something that changes with your activity level, not a fixed number you have to chase every day.

Rest Days:

On rest days, normal hydration is usually enough.

Drink water throughout the day, salt your meals to taste, and include a few potassium rich foods like potatoes, fruit, yogurt or leafy greens.

For most people, that’s all you need.

Normal Training Days:

For a typical strength workout lasting around 45–75 minutes, plain water will usually do the job.

After training, focus on a balanced meal that includes protein, carbohydrates, and naturally potassium-rich foods.

If you enjoy an electrolyte drink after training, that’s absolutely fine too, but it isn’t essential for every workout.

Heavy Sweat Days:

This is where electrolytes become much more important.

If you’re training in hot weather, doing long cardio sessions, playing sport, using the sauna, or simply know you’re a heavy sweater, you’ll lose much more sodium than usual.

These are the days we almost always add electrolytes to our water.

A good starting point is around:

• 500–700 mg sodium

• 200–300 mg potassium

per litre of water. You can use a quality electrolyte mix or make your own.

An Easy Homemade Electrolyte Drink:

If you prefer making your own, here’s a simple option:

• 1 litre of cold water

• ¼ teaspoon quality sea salt

• A squeeze of fresh lemon or lime

• A small pinch of potassium salt (optional)

Mix it together and sip it during or after your workout.

Simple, inexpensive, and effective. You can also add pure coconut water if you have.

Signs You Might Need More Electrolytes:

Electrolytes aren’t always the answer, but if you’re consistently experiencing some of these symptoms, it may be worth paying closer attention to your hydration.

• Frequent muscle cramps

• Headaches after training

• Feeling unusually tired or sluggish

• Dizziness when standing up

• Needing much longer to recover after workouts

• Very dark urine (a sign you may also need more fluids)

• White salt marks on your clothes after training

• Constantly feeling thirsty despite drinking plenty of water

If these symptoms continue or become severe, it’s important to speak with your healthcare provider, as they can have many causes beyond hydration.

The Takeaway

Hydration isn’t about drinking as much water as possible. It’s about replacing what your body loses. On easier days, let your meals do most of the work. On harder days, especially if you’re sweating a lot, don’t be afraid to add electrolytes to your water. It’s one of the simplest habits you can build to support better performance, recovery, and how you feel day to day.