5 Electrolyte Supplements to Supercharge Your Hydration
The following article was written by Heinen’s Chief Dietitian, Melanie Jatsek RD, LD. Please consult with your primary healthcare provider before adding new supplements to your wellness routine. Click here to learn more about Mel’s personalized nutrition coaching services.
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What do sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium have in common? Besides being essential minerals in food, they are also important electrolytes essential for life. In fact, an imbalance in either direction can be life-threatening!
I know it sounds scary, but lucky for you these minerals come perfectly packaged inside fresh vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, and seeds. So, if you follow an Fx™-style diet, you don’t have to worry about meticulously measuring every milligram of these minerals to ensure you’re getting enough.
But what about intense exercise, super-hot weather, or periods of illness where you lose body fluids through excess sweating or vomiting? These are cases when supplementing with an electrolyte replacement can help keep your body in balance.
What are Electrolytes?
Electrolytes are charged particles that work in your body to regulate chemical reactions, maintain proper blood volume and pressure, support nerve, muscle, and heart function, and control fluid levels.
The main electrolytes are chloride, potassium, magnesium, sodium, and calcium.
Signs of Electrolyte Imbalance
Having too much or too little of certain electrolytes creates an imbalance in your body, which can show up as any of these symptoms:
- Fatigue
- Confusion
- Muscle cramping or weakness
- Irregular heartbeat
- Headache
As mentioned above, intense exercise, illness, and hot weather can all cause electrolyte imbalance, in which case a healthy diet and electrolyte replacement can help. But there are other factors that can impact electrolyte levels, like certain medications or improperly functioning kidneys. So, if you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, it’s best to alert your healthcare provider.
5 Quality Electrolyte Products in Heinen’s Wellness Department
Quality is key when it comes to choosing an electrolyte replacement. At Heinen’s we’ve carefully handpicked a collection of electrolyte drinks to hydrate your body healthfully with:
- A balance of key electrolytes (sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium)
- No artificial colors, flavors, or sweeteners
- Low-to-no added sugar
- No additives like modified food starch or maltodextrin
1. Just Ingredients Electrolytes are made with five different sources of electrolytes to support your hydration needs. With a 3:1 potassium to sodium ratio, you can enjoy balanced hydration without worrying about excessive sodium levels. Plus, they’re sweetened with nourishing, whole food ingredients and no artificial sweeteners or sugar alcohols.
Available in Orange Pineapple and Guava Mango.
2. Nuun Sport Hydration Tablets are formulated with five key electrolytes in a rainbow of fruity flavors, including caffeine-containing varieties for an extra pick-me-up. A convenient electrolyte solution for your on-the-go lifestyle, keep a tube of Nuun Sport Hydration Tablets in your gym bag, car, purse, hiking pack, or anywhere you’ll want to easily mix up a healthy, replenishing drink.
Available in Lemon Lime, Tri Berry, Fruit Punch, Plus Caffeine Wild Berry, and Plus Caffeine Mango Orange.
3. Trace Minerals ConcenTrace Drops are a concentrated complex of more than 72 trace minerals sourced from Utah’s inland sea. They offer a natural, easy, and bioavailable way to replace the trace minerals our bodies are lacking, especially electrolyte minerals lost through sweat, like magnesium, potassium and chloride.
ConcenTrace has a very strong taste, so it helps to begin with 10 drops mixed in 16 ounces of water for 3 consecutive days. Each day thereafter, increase the serving by 10 drops up to ½ teaspoon (40 drops) once or twice daily.
4. BodyHealth Perfect Amino Electrolytes are formulated for complete intracellular absorption, and contain a proprietary blend of essential amino acids to help cells fully utilize the electrolytes. As a bonus, each scoop offers 80 milligrams of trace minerals from ConcenTrace.
Available in Watermelon and Mixed Berry.
5. Moon Juice Mini Dew Electrolytes + Minerals. This electrolyte powder tastes like organic watermelon, a pinch of minerals, and a dash of pink salt. It instantly dissolves in water, has zero sugar, and offers a nice blend of sodium, potassium, chloride, magnesium, and calcium.
Available in a jar or single serving packets.
Key Takeaway
Think of electrolyte drinks as a supplement you take when the need arises. For this reason—and especially in the summer season—it’s a good idea to stock up on one or more of the above products so you’ll always be prepared.
