Is It Better to Have Electrolytes Before or After a Workout?

During or after a workout, the last thing you want to be is fatigued and crampy simply because you didn’t fuel up properly. And while you probably already know exercise prep and recovery basics like eating nourishing foods and drinking plenty of water, there’s another important part of the equation to consider: your electrolyte levels.

Maintaining balanced electrolyte levels is key for optimal exercise performance and preventing uncomfortable issues like cramps, fatigue, and dehydration during your workout. But how does timing come into play? Should you have electrolytes before or after a workout? We spoke with registered dietitians to get the answers. 

Why Electrolytes Are Important for Exercise (and Why It’s Key to Replenish Them)

Electrolytes play crucial roles all throughout the body and are critical for maintaining a variety of bodily functions, many of which are directly related to exercise performance.

“Electrolytes are essential to power muscles, generate energy, and assist in nerve function,” says registered dietitian Amy Stephens, RDN, who coaches elite athletes on nutrition for optimal performance and recovery. “They are also important in maintaining normal blood pressure and blood volume, which can dramatically change during a warm workout.”

When our internal temperature rises during a workout, our body sweats to cool us back down, Stephens explains. But when we sweat, we lose water and electrolytes. “Sodium is lost in the largest quantity followed by chloride, while potassium, magnesium, and calcium are lost in smaller amounts,” says sports dietitian Claire Shorenstein, RD. That’s why keeping electrolyte levels balanced is key to optimizing workout performance—and to preventing a host of health problems, like muscle cramps, fatigue, headaches, and gastrointestinal issues. 

However, the timing of when you consume these electrolytes—whether before, during, or after your workout—can make a difference in how your body performs and recovers.

Should You Have Electrolytes Before or After a Workout?

The optimal electrolyte intake timing for you will depend on a variety of factors, such as the type and duration of your workout, the environment in which you’re exercising, and your individual preferences and physiology, Stephens says. Here are a few guidelines to consider:

You can replenish electrolytes in a number of ways, including through:

How much you’ll need to replenish is personal because we all sweat at different rates. For instance, the average person sweats around 500 milliliters per hour, but some of us are heavy sweaters and sweat twice that amount in the same time frame. Similarly, while some folks lose about 500 milligrams of sodium in their sweat during an exercise session, others may be “salty sweaters” who lose more than 1,000 milligrams. 

The nature of your workout can affect things too. Generally speaking, the more intense or prolonged your exercise, the greater the need to replenish electrolytes. For instance, if you’re doing a gentle 20-minute yoga flow, the electrolytes you’re already getting from food should cover your bases. But if you’re knocking out a 90-minute long run in the heat, you’ll probably need to top off your electrolyte stores with salty foods or a sports drink.

Long story short: Both pre- and post-workout electrolyte consumption have their benefits, and the best approach might involve a combination of both, tailored to your specific needs.

When to Have Electrolytes Before a Workout

According to Shorenstein, you should have electrolytes before a workout if:

“If you’re doing a longer or harder workout, your body will need more food (especially carbohydrates) and you will benefit from adding electrolytes around one to two hours before you exercise,” Shorenstein says. “If you’re doing an endurance training session or race, and especially if it’s a warm day and you’re a heavy and/or salty sweater, you should also add electrolytes to dinner the night before.”

You may also need to adjust your electrolyte strategy depending on how much time you have before exercising. Shorenstein offers these recommendations:

“If you know in advance that you will sweat a lot or have struggled with electrolyte imbalance in the past, I’d recommend experimenting with electrolytes from food and/or beverages before exercise,” Stephens says. “This can be accomplished by adding salt to a pre-workout meal, like oatmeal or toast with peanut butter and banana, or using an electrolyte product.” 

But if the above conditions don’t apply to your workout—your workout won’t be long or intense, you’re not a heavy or salty sweater, it’s not race day nor hot outside—you may not need any extra electrolytes before exercise. If you mostly eat a balanced, healthy diet, you’re more than likely consuming enough electrolytes to stay hydrated during exercise. 

When to Have Electrolytes After a Workout

If your workout was less than an hour long, didn’t cause you to sweat that much, and you’re not an especially heavy or salty sweater, the electrolytes you receive through a regular balanced diet should be enough to cover your bases. 

If, however, your workout met one or many of those conditions, you may want to pay special attention to replenishing electrolyte levels by making sure you have a post-workout snack or sports drink in order to restore fluid balance, support muscle recovery, and stave off post-exercise fatigue.

The key is to recognize that while plain water should be enough after a shorter workout, it probably won’t cut it after a very long or super intense workout, Shorenstein says. “It’s crucial not to just drink plain water here, especially after longer or harder sessions, as this will only make you drink less and urinate more, which will dehydrate you for longer and make you feel tired, give you headaches, and possibly also cause GI distress,” she says. “Fluid, sodium, and carbohydrates together will help you rehydrate the fastest, and you can achieve this with a sports drink, electrolytes plus food, or water plus salt-containing foods.”

Stephens agrees. She recommends starting the rehydration process with liquids, which are absorbed more quickly. For meals, she recommends sodium-rich options, such as:

Do You Ever Need Electrolytes During a Workout?

For most people, consuming electrolytes during a workout isn’t necessary unless the exercise is particularly long or intense. 

However, there are specific situations where mid-workout electrolyte replenishment can be beneficial. “For heavy and/or salty sweaters, I usually recommend sipping on sodium-containing fluids even during a short workout,” Shorenstein says.

There are many ways to get electrolytes in during exercise, and what you choose will depend on your sport, your individual needs, and taste preferences. Shorenstein’s recommendations:

Stephens adds that indoor workouts may actually require you to refuel more mid-exercise than outdoors. “When exercising indoors, the air does not circulate the same way as outdoors and the body does not cool down as easily,” she says. “As the body heats up, more sweat is produced to cool the body down.”

The Takeaway

Electrolytes are essential for proper hydration, muscle function, and overall performance during exercise. The timing of electrolyte intake—whether before, during, or after a workout—can have an impact on how your body performs and recovers.

Ultimately, the best approach will involve weighing a range of factors including your preferences and exercise conditions. By paying attention to your body’s needs and adjusting your electrolyte intake accordingly, you can fuel up in a way that powers you for the best performance and the smoothest recovery.