Best electrolyte powders for rehydration– and how much London Marathon runners need

Electrolytes are officially having a moment – especially this week with the marathon happening in sunny London. The global electrolyte drink market is worth over £30 billion and growing 5–6% a year, thanks to people chasing better daily wellness and clever marketing from sports drink brands. And for the most part, there’s a real reason behind the hype: even losing just 1–2% of your body weight in water can slow your focus and reaction time. Experts agree that beating brain fog starts with staying properly hydrated. So, if you’ve been in runner training and reaching for a sachet of electrolytes daily, you may assume you’re doing the best thing for your body. After all, they’re the minerals– think sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium– that keep your body working. They also help your nerves fire, your muscles flex and your heart beat like it’s supposed to. But the thing is, most of us actually get enough from everyday foods like bananas, leafy greens, dairy, nuts and even dark chocolate, so by supplementing electrolytes daily, you might be overloading your body (more on this in a moment). There are, however, some exceptions to this. If you’ve been sweating buckets (heavy exercise or from hot temperatures – ie, if you're training for a marathon), battling a bug or skipping water for hours, your levels can dip, and things like fatigue, cramps and nausea can set in. When this happens, electrolytes can be just the trick to support your body. READ MORE: This Morning watchers rush to bag Nadine Baggott's 10 best beauty buys under £10 If your current state doesn’t fall into these categories, a little caution is worth keeping in mind. According to Heart.org, excess sodium can raise blood pressure , and most Brits are already eating way too much. Guidelines recommend adults stick to no more than about one teaspoon a day. Yet the average intake is 1.5 teaspoons without the help of electrolytes. Essentially, your body is pretty good at balancing electrolytes on its own, filtering the excess through urine, but too much sodium from foods or supplements can tip the scales. So while a little extra electrolytes can help in the right situations, more isn’t always better. But what about the electrolyte drinks and powders that say ‘for daily use’ on their labels, you ask? These are typically formulated with lower, balanced doses of electrolytes, rather than targeted at athletes who might require higher doses. So if you aren’t a heavy exerciser, these daily sachets are your best bet if you do feel like you need a little electrolyte kick. Our Shopping Lead Zoe turns to electrolytes after sweaty workouts – these are the ones she says are the best tasting Zoe says: ‘I reach for these on days I do long cycle classes or boxing workouts. I have a tendency to get dehydrated easily, so these are great when I really need a boost. I like how affordable they are compared to other brands, and the taste is fine (the berry flavour is the best, in my opinion). They aren’t my favourite, but a good gym bag addition.” Zoe says: “Now this is my absolute favourite. The apricot flavour was so popular when it launched as a limited edition the other summer that the brand has since made it a permanent option on the website. Many electrolyte powders have an unpleasant aftertaste or an overly salty or sweet tang, but Humantra is by far the most drinkable. I even enjoy drinking it. The only problem is that a box of 20 is a little pricey, so I don’t buy it every month.” Zoe says: “When I see this on sale at Holland & Barrett, I always grab a box because it’s my daily pick. I understand the guidance on electrolytes, but I am very active, and I suffer from migraines, so I’ve really found that keeping my hydration up helps keep them at bay. I don’t supplement on days when I don’t work out, but when I feel even a little dehydrated, I always have a sachet of Four Five+ in my cupboard. If you can find the tart cherry flavour, it’s definitely the tastiest.”