Supplement
Electrolytes
Essential for athletes. Expensive salt water for everyone else.
Electrolyte mixes replace sodium, potassium, and magnesium lost in sweat. We grade Electrolytes B- on evidence and C+ for worth-it at about $20-40 per month.
Evidence
Worth it
Typical cost: $20-40/month
What it does
Electrolyte mixes replace sodium, potassium, and magnesium lost in sweat. They shine during endurance exercise, heat, or illness, and do far less sitting at a desk.
What the research says
Improves hydration during heavy sweating
Evidence: strong. Replacing sodium and fluid lost in sweat is basic physiology; established.
Improves everyday energy or health in non-athletes
Evidence: weak. For people who are not sweating heavily, the benefit over water and food is unproven. Needs verification.
DRAFT: genuinely useful in the right context (heat, endurance, heavy sweat); oversold as a daily wellness ritual.
Is it worth it?
DRAFT: packet prices are steep for what is mostly salt; bulk or food does the same job for less.
Typical cost
$20-40/month
Common form, not a brand recommendation
Dosage contextestablished
Dose to sweat: 500 to 1,000 mg sodium per hour of heavy sweating is the common sports range; casual daily use needs far less.
Safety notes
Generally safe for healthy people. People with kidney disease, heart failure, or on blood pressure medications that raise potassium should be careful with potassium-heavy mixes. Talk to your doctor if any of that applies. This page is information, not medical advice.
Longevity Lab Report
Electrolytes news, graded when it happens.
New studies, dose debates, and expert shifts on electrolytes, in one email a week. Free.
Changelog
Last updated 2026-10-15
- 2026-10-15|Seed entry created as DRAFT. Context-dependent grade: athletes vs desk workers.
- 2026-10-15|Dosage context added.
- 2026-10-15|Goal tags added for the stack builder.