As you would typically observe on a typical morning in a gym or elsewhere, walkers, joggers, and casual strollers clutch their colorful bottles of electrolyte-enhanced drinks glowingly.
Marketed as essential for hydration, performance, and recovery, these powders, sachets, and premixed beverages have shifted from the realm of elite athletes to everyday wellness accessories. But for the average person embarking on a morning walk, are they a vital tool or an unnecessary expense?
According to leading sports nutrition experts, for the vast majority, it’s likely the latter.
Electrolytes are minerals like sodium, potassium, and magnesium, indeed, they come off crucial. They regulate nerve and muscle function and maintain the body’s fluid balance. However, the body is remarkably efficient at managing these levels.
“It’s unusual for your body to run low on electrolytes as the body naturally keeps levels stable,” explains Professor Graeme Close, a prominent sports nutrition researcher at Liverpool John Moores University explains in a BBC article.
For most people engaging in moderate exercise, like a 30- to 60-minute walk, a balanced diet is more than sufficient. “Most people get enough electrolytes ‘by eating a regular, well-designed diet’,” says Professor Close. “Most foods have salt in, and fruit and vegetables have potassium and magnesium.”
The need for supplementation arises only in specific, intense scenarios: prolonged exercise lasting over 90 minutes, especially in hot and humid conditions where sweat loss is significant. “If we exercise for a long period of time, particularly if you’re a salty sweater, then it’s not a bad thing to add some electrolytes back in,” he clarifies.
The electrolyte drink industry has successfully blurred the line between necessity and convenience, targeting not just athletes but office workers and casual commuters. Yet, for a standard morning walk, Professor Close’s advice is straightforward: “Just sip water, that’s more than good enough and keep your hard-earned money for other things.”
He acknowledges that if the taste encourages someone to drink more water, there’s no harm. But instead of expensive store-bought options, he recommends a simple, cost-effective homemade alternative for those who do need a boost during longer sessions: a mix of water, a pinch of salt, and a splash of fruit juice for carbohydrates.
It’s also important to distinguish between electrolyte replacement and energy replenishment. The body stores enough carbohydrates for about 70 to 90 minutes of hard exercise. For activities lasting beyond that, like long-distance running or cycling, drinks containing carbs and electrolytes can help maintain energy levels. For a morning walk, however, this is rarely a concern.
Before adding an electrolyte drink to your morning routine, consider the duration and intensity of your activity. For a typical walk, plain water and a nutritious breakfast will suffice. The real electrolyte boost most people need comes not from a powder, but from a plate.
Save your money for the coffee afterward. Your body and your wallet will thank you.
Also, try and burnout those calories you accumulated during the festivities. Ciao!
