Over the past few years, you might have heard advertisements in your podcast feed or on social media for electrolyte supplements.

If you haven’t seen them, they’re basically these little sachets or tubs that get mixed in with water as a drink.

News media reports demand for such products is exploding – with the market for electrolyte supplements set to grow to 112 billion dollars by 2030, more than doubling in size in less than a decade.

They go by a bunch of different names … and their marketing often suggests we could all use more electrolytes in our life.

But what’s the science on this swing towards salty beverages? Who actually needs them? And what does our obsession with optimised hydration … say about us?

Guests:

Dr Alan McCubbin

Senior Teaching Fellow, Department of Nutrition Dietetics and Food, Monash University; Accredited Sports Dietitian

Dr Colleen Derkatch

Professor of Rhetoric, English Department, Toronto Metropolitan University; Author, Why Wellness Sells

Jay Clark

Athlete and fitness coach

Dan Newton

Athlete and fitness coach

Credits:

• Presenter: Dr Emma Beckett
• Producer: Carl Smith
• Senior Producer: James Bullen
• Sound Engineer: Tim Jenkins

This story was made on the lands of the Gadigal, Wurundjeri, Jagera and Turrbal peoples.

More information:

Modelling sodium requirements of athletes across a variety of exercise scenarios – Identifying when to test and target, or season to taste - European Journal of Sport Science, 2022.

The Impact of Dietary Sodium Intake on Sweat Sodium Concentration in Response to Endurance Exercise: A Systematic Review - International Journal of Sports Science, 2018.

Impact of Sodium Ingestion During Exercise on Endurance Performance: A Systematic Review - International Journal of Sports Science, 2018.

Sodium Intake Beliefs, Information Sources, and Intended Practices of Endurance Athletes Before and During Exercise - International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 2018.

Sports Dietitians Australia Position Statement: Nutrition for Exercise in Hot Environments.

Why Wellness Sells - Hopkins Press, 2022.

Exercise - the low down on hydration - Better Health.

The electrolytes boom: a wonder supplement – or an unnecessary expense? The Guardian, 2024.

No, you don't need daily electrolyte supplements - Axios, 2023.