The tickets are bought, the line-ups have been announced and it\u2019s nearly time to drag last year\u2019s tent out of the cupboard for a wipedown \u2013 and to evict a few dead earwigs. And this summer, there\u2019s one more festival accessory that partygoers won\u2019t be travelling without: electrolyte tablets.<\/p>\n
Touted as a faster route to rehydration than water, and a way to replace vital salts lost during heavy drinking and partying, the focus on festivals is the latest twist in a global boom for electrolytes, as everyone from triathletes to YouTubers sings the praises of these super-hydrating mineral supplements.<\/p>\n
Happy Tuesdays<\/a> is selling \u201call-night electrolytes\u201d for party people; Holy Hydration<\/a> says its hydration powders are perfect for athletes and party people, replacing electrolytes and minerals lost from sweating; while ORS Hydration<\/a> <\/strong>claims its tablets can help people to prevent or recover from hangovers. The UK health food chain Holland & Barrett<\/a> is promoting electrolyte sachets and magnesium water as \u201cfestival essentials\u201d.<\/p>\n But can they really take the edge off a hangover, or soften the infamous \u201cTuesday blues\u201d that follow a weekend flirtation with substances of a less legal kind?<\/p>\n Electrolytes are minerals that are vital for basic bodily functions, such as regulating fluid levels, transmitting nerve impulses and ensuring the blood doesn\u2019t become too acidic. The main electrolytes are sodium, potassium, chloride, magnesium, calcium, phosphate and bicarbonates.<\/p>\n \u201cThey are carefully regulated within specific ranges in the body. This is because levels outside the normal ranges \u2013 either too high or too low \u2013 can lead to life-threatening complications,\u201d said Dr Sammie Gill, a specialist gastroenterology dietitian and spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association<\/a>.<\/p>\n Electrolytes may be useful \u2018during prolonged exercise and in hot climates\u2019 \u2026 perfect for a day of dancing in the sun? Photograph: See Li\/Picture Capital\/Alamy<\/p>\n Fortunately, our bodies do an excellent job of maintaining the correct balance of these chemicals, with the kidneys playing a key role \u2013 so for healthy people, day to day, taking electrolyte supplements is unnecessary, Gill said. \u201cThere are so many foods that are rich in electrolytes, including plant-based foods and dairy. It\u2019s not something people should be concerned about.\u201d<\/p>\n One scenario where a healthy person might need electrolytes is after a bout of vomiting or diarrhoea. This can cause significant fluid loss and upset the body\u2019s balance of essential minerals like sodium and potassium, In severe cases, rehydrating with a properly balanced solution \u2013 such as oral rehydration salts \u2013 can be life-saving<\/a>.<\/p>\n Electrolytes may be useful in other situations \u2013 \u201cfor example, during periods of intense or prolonged exercise over an hour in duration, and especially in hot climates, or if the individual is a particular heavy sweater\u201d, said Gill.<\/p>\n And while partying in a sun-baked field isn\u2019t quite the same as running a marathon, it could, in theory lead to dehydration \u2013 meaning electrolytes may be useful here as well. That said, Gill said if you truly need electrolyte support, it\u2019s easy enough to make your own. \u201cSimply mix 200ml of water, 300ml of fruit juice and a pinch of salt,\u201d she said. \u201cCow\u2019s milk is also a naturally a rich source of electrolytes, including sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium. You\u2019re also getting additional nutrients, such as protein, that electrolyte supplements do not deliver.\u201d<\/p>\n Researchers found that hydration had only a modest effect on hangover symptoms. Photograph: Alicia Canter\/The Guardian<\/p>\n Whether electrolyte sachets can ease hangovers or soften the crash after taking recreational drugs is another matter. A recent review of UK hangover products<\/a> available on Amazon found that most contain modest amounts of potassium, sodium and vitamin C. But although dehydration is often blamed for the misery that follows a night of drinking, the science tells a more nuanced story.<\/p>\n