From Stanley Cup hauls to soundbite-y reviews of popular electrolyte drinks like AG1 and Liquid I.V., the TikTok generation is obsessed with hydration, and your 16-year-old cousin whose go-to bag is a hot pink Stanley cup might have a point. 

For one, I am generally mildly dehydrated as a human being (I have been told multiple times by the same aura reader that she could see I don’t drink enough water through my aura portrait). Secondly, there are many benefits of electrolytes other than hydration that may better my active lifestyle, such as improving exercise performance, muscle function, and boosting overall energy. All of this to say, I was up for experimenting with an electrolyte powder for a month if it promised to bring more balance to my body and mind. 

To do this challenge correctly, I chose one electrolyte powder and multivitamin supplement to commit to—IM8’s Daily Ultimate Essentials, which, in addition to hydration, promises to boost immunity, help with digestion, and enhance performance. I also tagged nutrition and holistic health experts to get their feedback on the relationship between electrolytes and energy. 

The Benefits of Electrolytes 

Before I get into the details of my experiment, let me preface with some of the benefits of electrolytes. 

Apart from aiding in hydration, electrolyte drinks have a surprisingly positive effect on mood and energy, especially if you’re mildly dehydrated, says Supatra Tovar, PsyD, RD, a clinical psychologist and registered dietitian. Being even slightly low on essential fluids and minerals such as sodium and potassium can leave you feeling foggy, irritable, and fatigued, she explains. But rehydrating with the right balance of electrolytes can help restore your inner homeostasis and lead to a noticeable shift in your mental and physical state. “You feel more alert, less sluggish, and emotionally more stable.”

In comparison to a regular cup of coffee, electrolyte drinks may be more effective in restoring true energy, too, especially in the long term. “If you’re hydrated and just need a mental lift, coffee helps,” says Tovar. “But if you’re physically drained or dehydrated, an electrolyte drink may serve you better.” It’s important to note that caffeine is a mild diuretic, meaning it causes you to excrete water from the body by increasing your need to urinate. Although exercise can help negate this effect.

Week-by-Week Breakdown

Here’s what happened when I replaced my afternoon coffee with an electrolyte drink a few days a week for a month. 

Week 1: The Switch 

As someone who’s been a regular coffee drinker since high school, cutting back on caffeine is not an easy challenge. Nevertheless, I have slowly been trying to cut back on my caffeine intake by going from two cups a day to one in the morning. While I kept my morning cup of joe, I replaced my afternoon cup with an IM8 drink or regular H2O instead. I had an electrolyte drink three days this week after working out—twice after the gym and once after an intense 45-minute spin class at my favorite cycling studio in Paris, SPACE Cycle.

After each drink, I did feel revitalized almost immediately and a few hours after. I found the electrolytes helped replenish any energy I had expended, and I got the same kick of energy as a regular cup of coffee without the negative side effects.

Week 2: Noticing Patterns

Recently, I have been struggling with my mental health, and it has caused me to experience some intense fatigue and brain fog throughout the day, especially after the initial hit of my morning cup of coffee drops. Cutting back on my afternoon cup of joe has also led to hitting a midday slump most days. Admittedly, the only times when I got a burst of energy this week were after my morning workout, and subsequently taking the electrolyte drink.

I had the recommended single serving of IM8 about three times this week—same as last—and each time, I was able to hit the ground running with my tasks. All in all, I feel that the electrolytes provided me with a more sustainable source of energy lasting all afternoon. Only time will tell if it’s a placebo, or if electrolytes may be the key I’m missing to recharge in times of low energy.

Week 3: Energy Relapse

It was graduation week, and my family was in town, so unfortunately, I slacked a bit with my workout routine, and thus this challenge. I only took the IM8 drink once, at the beginning of the week, after a 30-minute 12-3-30 warmup on the treadmill, followed by a 30-minute full-body workout at the gym. Despite feeling revitalized emotionally as I hadn’t seen my family in a year, my physical energy definitely tanked this week without my afternoon electrolyte drink.

In general, I felt quite groggy, a little irritated, and exhausted by 9 pm each day. It’s hard to say if the cause of my lack of energy was a result of the 15,000+ steps of sightseeing and walking a day, taking a break from exercise for the week, premenstrual symptoms, or being less hydrated than usual. Either way, I do feel like taking an electrolyte drink in the afternoon some days would have provided an added energy boost. 

Week 4: Settling into a Routine

I had the IM8 drink twice this week—once when I needed an energy boost while on my period to get through some admin work, and another time post-workout to rehydrate and re-energize. In both instances, I felt more level-headed and was able to be more productive throughout the day.

Should You Drink Electrolytes for Energy?

It really depends on your diet and hydration habits.

“Having adequate amounts of electrolytes is critical for basic cellular and nervous system function,” says Alicia Bigelow, ND, a naturopathic physician, holistic therapist, and Verywell Mind review board member. So how much a person needs will depend on a variety of factors, including dietary intake, loss of sweat, hydration levels, genetics, and more, Bigelow adds. 

If you’re working out intensely, sweating a lot, or recovering from illness, then adding an electrolyte drink to your diet can absolutely help your body—and mind—feel better, says Tovar, especially if you think you’re not getting enough electrolytes through your diet. During an intense workout, electrolytes “help maintain the right fluid balance in your body and keep muscles functioning well,” Tovar says.

However, if you have a fairly balanced diet and hydration habits, you probably don’t need an electrolyte drink every day, says Tovar. Unless you’re an athlete, work in intense heat, or are recovering from a lot of physical stress, daily electrolyte use is not necessary and may even lead to getting too much of certain minerals, especially sodium, Tovar adds. “Think of these drinks as a tool,” she says. “When your body is telling you it needs replenishment, they’re great, but if you’re just sitting at a desk most of the day and eating balanced meals, plain water will usually do the trick.”

In the hydration competition, water will always win. “It’s simple, effective, and all your body needs most of the time,” says Tovar. Apart from drinking the recommended daily intake of water according to your body’s needs, eating foods rich in water like fresh fruits and veggies also makes a huge difference, Bigelow adds. They’re also a great natural source of electrolytes (win, win!). 

Takeaways

While I won’t be swapping my daily cup of joe for an electrolyte drink anytime soon, I do find myself incorporating an electrolyte drink, such as the one offered by IM8, into my diet from time to time.

Rather than adding it to my regular diet, I will be using electrolytes as I see fit to replenish my body after an intense workout, recover from a cold, or when performing a physically challenging task in extreme heat. (When I went on a five-mile hike in the middle of summer in Brazil while on my period, an electrolyte drink was the only thing that stopped me from nearly passing out on the trail!)

No offense to the hydration craze that’s all over my For You page, but I think I’ll be sticking to plain water, a balanced diet, and regular movement to keep my body hydrated and my mind healthy.