Do You Really Need Electrolytes?

[chewonmysac]

I used to mix up electrolyte packets in water roughly 4 days out of the week. It appeared to reduce a lot of the tiredness that usually hits me on the day of my Tirz 15mg injection. But that plan turned against me — my blood work came back with high potassium, at 6.5. So now I'm only drinking water again, and my levels returned to normal.

 

[clemochi]

Before I ever started a glp-1, my labs already revealed a genuine electrolyte imbalance — sodium was low among them — so drinks with electrolytes are non-negotiable in my case. Skip them and I turn into hot garbage: seriously dizzy, lightheaded, plus brutal leg cramps. Since beginning a glp-1, I watch this even more closely.

 

[Pupsikas]

The claim that packets are a daily must for everyone appears to have outgrown what the evidence supports; for the majority, it looks less like a baseline need and more like something to reach for in specific situations.

 

[Slogger]

clemochi said:

Before I ever started a glp-1, my labs already revealed a genuine electrolyte imbalance — sodium was low among them — so drinks with electrolytes are non-negotiable in my case. Skip them and I turn into hot garbage: seriously dizzy, lightheaded, plus brutal leg cramps. Since beginning a glp-1, I watch this even more closely.

Same here -

 

[birdwhacker]

"Should We Really Be Pushing Electrolytes?"

Yes. Next.

5byfive said:

For a long time I've been against electrolyte supplements. Mostly they're just salt, and most people don't need them. Still, I went ahead and started taking them lately, only because the GLP1 community keeps pushing the idea that they're essential. But do they actually matter, or is the real issue simply staying hydrated? When it comes to fitness research, Menno Henselmans is the gold standard in my view, and his new video about Electrolytes has made me question whether I should keep using them. Perhaps they help if someone is hit hard by side effects early on and can barely eat, but apart from that, adding extra sodium looks like a bad move. I think I'll go back to my BCAA powder, which is equally pointless, yet it tastes good and contains no sodium.

Josh Brett made a follow-up to his video.

View: https://youtu.be/iWd5oLWxWEc

View: https://youtu.be/-yypmdC5Ykc

Whoever wrote that is out of their mind. I stopped reading there.

For me, downing a large, thick glass of salt water with potassium first thing every morning has genuinely transformed my life, and I feel sorry for anyone who lacks a basic grasp of how electrolytes function.

My pity also extends to every person who purchases ready-made electrolyte packets or drinks. And to those unaware that they should be checking the potassium content, in mg, of what they drink.

Further reading:

Post in thread 'Dosing schedule' /community-link/thread/15828/

Hoping the very worst for you, OP!

 

[birdwhacker]

myboysherman said:

Reta triggered palpitations for me. A single packet of electrolyte containing Mg and K seemed to help, so I continued using them. Over the course of a week, things kept improving. My heart has not been this steady in years. I also added an Mg/K supplement on top of that, but I think I may have gone too far, so I reduced it.

There are many factors at play here, and my sense is that raising your levels takes time, and lowering them again does too. Still, I am firmly persuaded that potassium helps, I was already convinced about magnesium, and I remain unsure about sodium. Because of that, I moved to a brand with VitC and a lot less sodium. Push away.

My heart palpitates because of some condition I have. Unless I get at least 200mg of elemental magnesium from glycinate daily, things go badly for me. That's been my reality for years.

Then I began including salt and potassium as well, and it has been kind of life changing. It's not difficult. Get some potassium sprinkle it in a cup, throw some salt in too, about a 3:1 ratio.

 

[DoctaDave]

For decades, I've been a heavy sweater. Back when I was in good shape, I'd still be drenched from minimal exertion at 65F — I figured it was hyperhydrosis and that was that. Then a friend asked whether I'd ever tried electrolytes, given how much I sweat yet how much water I seemed to hold onto. She recommended a blend with plenty of potassium and magnesium but not much sodium. My sweating has dropped by roughly 60%. A moderate workout used to leave my underwear and socks soaked. These days it seems normal, and at 70 degrees I'm not dripping. It's crazy. One scoop goes into a water bottle that I sip during exercise, or on off days I'll have it alongside lunch.

Her reasoning: if sweating drains your electrolytes, then no amount of fluid will stay with you, because electrolytes are what hold water in. So the body has 2 options — pee it out or sweat it out — to dump the extra fluid. But then you're dehydrated, so you drink even more. A vicious cycle, lol

 

[BillC]

If that daily gallon of water doesn't contain electrolytes, supplementation becomes necessary. When you drink plain water, your body flushes out its electrolyte stores through urine. The consequences will hit you. If nothing else, down a shot of salt water each morning.

 

[5byfive]

BillC said:

If that daily gallon of water doesn't contain electrolytes, supplementation becomes necessary. When you drink plain water, your body flushes out its electrolyte stores through urine. The consequences will hit you. If nothing else, down a shot of salt water each morning.

Nope... that isn't how it functions. The key idea is that the majority of people take in too much sodium through food. Unless your water intake is absurdly high, you won't develop a sodium imbalance from it.

 

[BillC]

5byfive said:

BillC said:

If that daily gallon of water doesn't contain electrolytes, supplementation becomes necessary. When you drink plain water, your body flushes out its electrolyte stores through urine. The consequences will hit you. If nothing else, down a shot of salt water each morning.

Nope... that isn't how it functions. The key idea is that the majority of people take in too much sodium through food. Unless your water intake is absurdly high, you won't develop a sodium imbalance from it.

Maybe it's time to cut back on the fries.

 

[cujet]

Age matters here, and so does having had weight loss surgery in the past. After my wife's gastric sleeve, she deals with cramping and ends up having to drink a lot of Brawndo. As for me, I'm 62M, on Reta to lose weight and now closing in on my target. There's no doubt that Florida heat plus working outdoors in it means I need electrolytes every so often.

 

[5byfive]

BillC said:

5byfive said:

BillC said:

If that daily gallon of water doesn't contain electrolytes, supplementation becomes necessary. When you drink plain water, your body flushes out its electrolyte stores through urine. The consequences will hit you. If nothing else, down a shot of salt water each morning.

Nope... that isn't how it functions. The key idea is that the majority of people take in too much sodium through food. Unless your water intake is absurdly high, you won't develop a sodium imbalance from it.

Maybe it's time to cut back on the fries.

This post ties into a scientific literature review about electrolytes, and what you're bringing to the table amounts to "consume salt and skip the fries." Trolls will do what trolls do, but that approach won't land well in this space. I realize plenty of folks have been arriving here from Reddit as of late, yet the culture on this board is quite different. Take some time to read through the posts, and you'll notice a far stronger emphasis on exchanging knowledge and personal experience. With any luck, you'll come to appreciate that.

 

[WYSiWYG]

There is no single answer that works for everyone. My sweat rate runs high, and the concentration of electrolytes in it is on the high side too. So when I exercise and I'm sweating, I'm losing a substantial amount. A 1 hour gym session is likely no problem. But if I'm running 6+ miles or riding 40+ miles, that's a completely different situation. On top of that, heat acclimation and other environmental factors play a role as well, and those do change what you need.

If the person in question is on a GLP and basically just starving themselves without any activity, it's probably not a big deal. But for someone who is active and keeps finding themselves fatigued, regularly feeling crumply, and having a hard time with sleep quality, it absolutely makes a difference. The types and the amounts depend entirely on the individual, how they live, and their overall 'activity'.

My gut also tells me that a good number of people who start GLP's and switch to lo-carb end up with what I call the Keto flu - and the usual fix for that is electrolytes

 

[domin8brix]

cujet said:

Age matters here, and so does having had weight loss surgery in the past. After my wife's gastric sleeve, she deals with cramping and ends up having to drink a lot of Brawndo. As for me, I'm 62M, on Reta to lose weight and now closing in on my target. There's no doubt that Florida heat plus working outdoors in it means I need electrolytes every so often.

 

[5byfive]

WYSiWYG said:

There is no single answer that works for everyone. My sweat rate runs high, and the concentration of electrolytes in it is on the high side too. So when I exercise and I'm sweating, I'm losing a substantial amount. A 1 hour gym session is likely no problem. But if I'm running 6+ miles or riding 40+ miles, that's a completely different situation. On top of that, heat acclimation and other environmental factors play a role as well, and those do change what you need.

If the person in question is on a GLP and basically just starving themselves without any activity, it's probably not a big deal. But for someone who is active and keeps finding themselves fatigued, regularly feeling crumply, and having a hard time with sleep quality, it absolutely makes a difference. The types and the amounts depend entirely on the individual, how they live, and their overall 'activity'.

My gut also tells me that a good number of people who start GLP's and switch to lo-carb end up with what I call the Keto flu - and the usual fix for that is electrolytes

I wouldn't call them harmful in general—there's a clear role for them, particularly during extended exertion; that's the main scenario they're meant for. Beyond that, certain situations exist where they can help, as already covered, with low sodium options standing out.

What bothers me is how many threads pop up where someone begins GLPs and suddenly everyone is recommending electrolytes, which simply doesn't add up. A large share of these individuals carry substantial excess weight—which is why they're on GLPs—and elevated blood pressure commonly accompanies that. Encouraging salt intake in that group strikes me as unwise. On the whole, it's needless for the majority (I emphasize majority) and probably does more harm than good.

 

[tendency]

chewonmysac said:

I used to mix up electrolyte packets in water roughly 4 days out of the week. It appeared to reduce a lot of the tiredness that usually hits me on the day of my Tirz 15mg injection. But that plan turned against me — my blood work came back with high potassium, at 6.5. So now I'm only drinking water again, and my levels returned to normal.

A blood marker that can also signal you may be taking in too many electrolytes is elevated creatinine, since the kidneys must labor harder to keep homeostasis in balance.

 

[CreepyZebra]

When I was getting used to reta, electrolytes fixed nearly every rough side effect I had. I'm 7 weeks in now on the same dose, and I ran out of liquid IV a couple days back — yet I feel and seem to be doing completely fine. Like someone said above, for me it looks like this depends on the situation.