From collagen to oat milk, green juice to bone broth, the health industry continually offers new elixirs with supposedly miraculous benefits.
Electrolytes are the latest fad to catch the attention of Gen Z, with hundreds of people taking to TikTok to share their recipes, favorite brands, and encourage others to start drinking fortified mineral water for “proper hydration.”
Usually reserved for marathon runners or upset stomachs, electrolytes often come bottled as sports drinks or in sachets to restore minerals lost through sweat or illness.
But more recently, TikTokers have gone crazy for electrolyte supplements and drink mineral-infused water daily, regardless of the time of day or activity.
Some daily drinkers have even claimed that water is no longer “enough” for hydration.
Electrolytes are the latest fad to catch the attention of Gen Z, with hundreds of people taking to TikTok to share their recipes, favorite brands, and encourage others to start drinking fortified mineral water for “proper hydration.”
According to the NHS: ‘Electrolytes are salts and minerals, such as sodium, potassium, chloride and bicarbonate, found in the blood. They can conduct electrical impulses in the body.
According to the National Health Service: ‘Electrolytes are salts and minerals, such as sodium, potassium, chloride and bicarbonate, found in the blood. They can conduct electrical impulses in the body.’
They are often consumed to restore minerals and salts lost through sweat or body fluids.
But a recent surge of interest in the liquid supplement has resulted in hundreds of clips of young people sipping their mineral water appearing online.
Praising its supposed benefits, one TikToker began his video by exclaiming, “you’re not hydrating properly,” before praising the benefits of electrolyte water.
‘The main benefit of electrolytes is that when you train in the gym and you start sweating, you feel tired, you feel unmotivated and you want to go home. Chances are you’re not actually lazy, you’re just sweating out your electrolytes,” he said.
He goes on to recommend supplementing sweat sessions with a dose of electrolytes to maximize “that pump” and elevate energy levels. Another TikToker warned: ‘Drinking water is not enough!’
They stated that drinking water was not enough to provide adequate hydration.
“If you’re someone who drinks a lot of water but feels like you have to go to the bathroom every thirty minutes, that could be a sign that your body isn’t absorbing the water you’re drinking and you may need some electrolytes.” to help in that process,” said the TikToker.
According to Fuel Hub nutritionist Edward Mather: “Electrolytes have gained popularity in recent years due to an increased focus on hydration, as a way to improve overall health and well-being.”
However, he does not believe that they are for everyone, nor that they are strictly necessary for hydration.
He said: “The point at which it becomes necessary to supplement electrolytes is if the individual engages in prolonged or intense exercise, lives in a hot climate, or has an illness in which fluid is lost from the body.”
He continued: ‘For most people, drinking water throughout the day is enough to meet their hydration needs. This is based on the assumption that they consume a balanced diet containing electrolyte-rich foods and engage in light physical activity.
“They play an important role in fluid balance, support nerve and muscle function, and regulate many physiological processes.”
Praising its supposed benefits, one TikToker began his video by exclaiming, “you’re not hydrating properly,” before praising the benefits of electrolyte water.
A recent surge of interest in the liquid supplement has led to hundreds of clips of young people sipping their mineral-infused water appearing online.
Recent data shows an increase in the number of consumers purchasing flavored and functional drinks, that is, mineral or sparkling water with additional healthy additives.
And it’s not just online health junkies who claim the supposed benefits. Recent data shows an increase in the number of consumers purchasing flavored and functional drinks, that is, mineral or sparkling water with additional healthy additives.
The market was valued at $50.3bn (£37.6bn) in 2022 and is expected to reach $112.6bn (£84bn) by the end of the decade.
After being praised as a miracle worker for runners and hangovers in the US, electrolyte company Liquid IV landed in the UK earlier this year.
Premium electrolyte elixirs use cellular transport technology to ensure “hydration faster than water alone.”
The super-optimized hydration drink promises to reduce aging, gut health, sleep, and even boost immunity; It’s even available in a variety of flavors, including “popsicle.”
A supplement brand, called W-Wellness, also reported a 40 percent increase in electrolyte sales in the last year.
An electrolyte pump bottle has sold out on the Oshun website, after fashion mogul Trinny Woodhall raved about the product.
The £32.99 concentrate promises “brain power”, improved nervous system function and even “ionic charging”.
Another popular protein powder producer, Free Soul, recently launched their new electrolyte powder, Hydrate.
In an Instagram post promoting their new electrolyte sachets, they state: “Staying hydrated is crucial, but often water alone isn’t enough.” Another post says: “Electrolytes aren’t just for athletes, they benefit everyone.”
