Learn How to Make a Homemade Electrolyte Drink from a Certified Nutrition Coach

There’s a lot to remember when it comes to eating and drinking enough to support your training. You’re counting macros, calories, ounces of water, tubs of creatine, and scoops of protein powder. Do you need sports drinks, too? Store-bought electrolyte drinks often promise to hydrate you better than water alone.

Here, we’ll take you through what electrolytes are and how they affect athletes. Then, we’ll save you a trip to the store and tell you how you can make your own homemade electrolyte drink with just a few simple ingredients. 

Editor’s Note: The content on BarBend is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as medical advice. When starting a new training regimen and/or diet, it is always a good idea to consult with a trusted medical professional. We are not a medical resource. The opinions and articles on this site are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. They are not substitutes for consulting a qualified medical professional.

What Are Electrolytes?

Electrolytes are a group of essential minerals that help maintain a healthy fluid balance by keeping cells electrically neutral. They also contribute to important bodily functions in nerves and muscles. Having an electrolyte imbalance can lead to health issues. (1)

[Read More: How To Stay Hydrated While Working Out]

The most important electrolytes include:

• Sodium
• Potassium
• Magnesium
• Calcium
• Chloride
• Phosphate
• Bicarbonates

What Do Electrolytes Do for Athletes?

Electrolytes play a role in hydration, which is why sports drinks like Gatorade, Pedialyte, and electrolyte water are marketed to athletes. When you sweat, you can lose from half a liter to four liters of water and up to 1,000 milligrams of sodium. So, replenishing yourself with water and electrolytes like sodium may help prevent dehydration. (2)

[Read More: The Best Electrolyte Supplements]

Some electrolytes also affect your muscles, nervous system, and blood pressure — all things athletes want to function well. (1)

• Sodium (along with potassium) helps maintain your fluid balance and prevents dehydration.
• Potassium may help prevent muscle cramps and weakness.
• Magnesium plays a role in energy production, muscle and nerve function, and regulating blood pressure.
• Calcium is necessary for muscle contractions, nerve conduction, and hormone secretions.
• Chloride may help prevent nausea and vomiting, which some athletes may experience after a high-intensity training session.

How to Make a Homemade Electrolyte Drink

Sports drinks can work in a pinch but may contain dyes and other additives. It’s pretty simple to make your own DIY electrolyte drink. You can also tailor it to meet your needs — if you want it to be gluten-free, paleo, Stevia-free, vegan, or any other preference.

Potential Ingredients

Store-bought electrolyte drinks typically contain water, electrolytes, carbohydrates, glucose, and other ingredients — all great for replenishing your hydration and glycogen stores after a workout. 

[Read More: The Surprising Benefits of Salt for Strength Athletes]

Here’s how to you do it, sans the plastic and additives. Here’s a list of ingredient options and how much to include in our homemade electrolyte drink recipe. Grab a mason jar and get it going.

• Two Cups Water Base: You can use plain water or coconut water, which contains sodium, manganese, and potassium. Or use one cup of each.
• Vitamin C: Including vitamin C in your homemade sports drink can boost your immune system. Citrus fruits contain sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium. 
• Juice half a fresh lemon, or use two tablespoons of lemon juice, lime juice, or orange juice. 
• Other Natural Fruit Juice: Research suggests tart cherry juice and watermelon juice may improve exercise recovery. Try a tablespoon of each. (3)(4)
• Salt: Add one-quarter teaspoon of sea salt or Himalayan pink salt. Regular table salt will also work.
• Natural Sweetener: You may want to add some sweetness for taste. Add two teaspoons of raw honey or maple syrup.

Do You Need an Electrolyte Drink?

Dehydration can impair cognitive function, reduce reaction time, and cause a negative mood and poor physical performance. (5)

There’s a lot of hype around electrolytes for athletes, but in most cases, drinking plain water is enough to keep you hydrated. If you eat a healthy diet, you’re also getting the main electrolytes from your foods.

[Read More: 6 Signs You’re Not Getting Enough Electrolytes]

You may need an electrolyte drink if you’re a high-intensity endurance athlete exercising for several hours, especially in high temperatures. (6)

Electrolyte drinks may also benefit people with certain medical conditions or electrolyte imbalances. If you’re concerned you’re not getting enough electrolytes, ask your healthcare professional nutritionist or registered dietitian.

Takeaways

Here’s the deal about DIY sports drinks, at a glance: 

• Electrolytes are essential minerals that help maintain fluid balance in your cells and influence your overall health.
• The most important electrolytes are sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, chloride, phosphate, and bicarbonate.
• Electrolytes help athletes replenish fluids after intense sweating and contribute to muscle contractions, nerve health, and blood pressure regulation. 
• You can make a homemade sports drink by combining water, vitamin C-rich juice, salt, and a natural sweetener. Mix it all together in a mason jar. 
• Electrolyte drinks mainly benefit endurance athletes and anyone exercising in the heat. 
• Athletes with medical conditions or an electrolyte imbalance may also benefit.
• Having a homemade sports drink made with simple ingredients can’t hurt, even if you didn’t sweat buckets in the heat.

FAQs

We’ll wrap up with some common questions on electrolyte drinks.

References

1. Shrimanker I, Bhattarai S. Electrolytes. [Updated 2023 Jul 24]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. 
2. Turner MJ, Avolio AP. Does Replacing Sodium Excreted in Sweat Attenuate the Health Benefits of Physical Activity? Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2016 Aug;26(4):377-89. 
3. Quinlan R, Hill JA. The Efficacy of Tart Cherry Juice in Aiding Recovery After Intermittent Exercise. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2020 Mar 1;15(3):368-374. 
4. Martínez-Sánchez A, Alacid F, Rubio-Arias JA, Fernández-Lobato B, Ramos-Campo DJ, Aguayo E. Consumption of Watermelon Juice Enriched in l-Citrulline and Pomegranate Ellagitannins Enhanced Metabolism during Physical Exercise. J Agric Food Chem. 2017 Jun 7;65(22):4395-4404.
5. Zhang N, Du SM, Zhang JF, Ma GS. Effects of Dehydration and Rehydration on Cognitive Performance and Mood among Male College Students in Cangzhou, China: A Self-Controlled Trial. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 May 29;16(11):1891.

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