How the electrolyte calculator works
A simple homemade sports drink is just water with a little salt for sodium and some sugar to help absorption and give energy. This tool scales those amounts to your drink volume and chosen strength, and estimates the sodium it provides. It is a general recipe guide for everyday fitness, not medical advice or a treatment for illness; see a doctor or pharmacist for rehydration during sickness.
What is in an electrolyte drink
The two main ingredients are sodium, from table salt, and carbohydrate, from sugar. Sodium is the electrolyte lost in the largest amount through sweat, and a small amount of sugar helps the body take up both water and sodium. A pinch of a potassium based salt substitute can add potassium if you want, though sodium matters most for sweat losses.
When electrolytes help
For everyday activity and short workouts, plain water is usually all you need. Electrolyte drinks come into their own during long or intense exercise, especially in heat, when you sweat heavily for more than about an hour. They also help when you are sweating a lot across a long day outdoors. For most short sessions, you will not need the extra salt and sugar.
Homemade versus store bought and safety
Homemade mixes are cheap and let you control the sugar, while commercial drinks and tablets are convenient and consistent. Either works for sport. Note that a sports drink is not the same as a medical oral rehydration solution used for illness, which has carefully set proportions. If you are unwell, dehydrated, or managing a health condition, follow medical guidance rather than a homemade recipe.
Frequently asked questions
How much salt in a homemade sports drink? Roughly half a gram to one and a half grams per liter depending on strength, which is a small fraction of a teaspoon.
Do I need sugar in it? A little sugar aids absorption and gives energy for longer efforts; you can reduce it for a lighter drink.
Is this the same as rehydration salts for illness? No. Medical oral rehydration solutions have specific proportions; use those, or a doctor advice, when unwell.
Related calculators: Hydration, Water Intake, Infused Water.