Summertime overflows with youth sports, adult pickleball leagues, and leisurely days spent sweating under the summer sun. All that heat and activity makes us thirsty, and it makes us wonder about electrolytes, too—how many we’re losing, how many we need, and how to replenish those that we’ve lost.
Electrolytes began to enter the national consciousness back in 1965 with the invention of Gatorade, and interest has grown steadily since. Today’s global sports drink market is valued at more than $26 billion, and the neon-colored bottles, tablets, and powders are found everywhere. They’re even handed out to 5-year-olds after T-ball games. But do we all actually need them?
