No sugar sports drinks
What are electrolytes, when do you need them, and when is water enough? An overview of sodium, potassium and magnesium, a look at sugar-free products, and a recipe.
Anyone looking for electrolytes with no sugar will quickly come across effervescent tablets, powders and ready-to-drink solutions. Yet for most people, water and a balanced diet are enough to replenish lost electrolytes. Here you can read about what electrolytes are and how much you need, when an electrolyte drink is a good idea, what to look out for in sugar-free products – and why sugar is actually an essential component in some drink solutions.
What are electrolytes?
Electrolytes are minerals that carry an electrical charge when dissolved in a fluid such as blood. In the blood, these are primarily sodium, potassium, chloride and bicarbonate. They help to regulate nerve and muscle function and maintain a stable acid-base balance and water balance. Magnesium and calcium are also classified as electrolytes.
The body cannot produce most electrolytes itself; it normally obtains them from the diet. The kidneys maintain this balance: they filter electrolytes and water from the blood, return some of them to the bloodstream and excrete the excess in the urine. Electrolyte balance can be disrupted, for example, by dehydration or excessive fluid intake, by certain medicines, or by conditions affecting the heart, kidneys or liver.
How much do you need – and where is it found?
The German Nutrition Society (DGE) recommends the following daily intake levels for adults:
| Electrolyte | DGE reference value for adults | Good sources according to the DGE |
|---|---|---|
| Sodium | 1,500 mg (estimated value) | Table salt (sodium chloride) |
| Chloride | 2,300 mg (estimated) | especially table salt |
| Potassium | 4,000 mg (estimated) | Vegetables and fruit such as apricots, bananas, carrots, kohlrabi and tomatoes, as well as nuts |
| Magnesium | Men 350 mg, women 300 mg (estimated value) | Wholemeal products, pulses, green leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds, fish and seafood |
| Calcium | 1,000 mg (recommended) | Milk and dairy products, green vegetables such as broccoli, kale and rocket, seeds and nuts, calcium-rich mineral water containing more than 150 mg per litre |
When it comes to salt, the issue is more one of too much than too little: the World Health Organisation recommends that adults consume less than 5 g of salt a day, which is less than 2,000 mg of sodium. According to the Consumer Advice Centre, women in Germany consume an average of 8.4 g of salt and men 10 g. The German Nutrition Society (DGE) considers a magnesium deficiency to be rare with normal dietary and lifestyle habits, and electrolyte deficiencies are generally quite rare in everyday life.
When is an electrolyte drink a good idea?
It is important to maintain fluid balance when the body loses large amounts of fluid: in the event of diarrhoea or vomiting, in extreme heat, in the sauna, or during intense endurance sessions lasting 60 minutes or more. For a normal visit to the gym, water is usually sufficient. However, according to Perikles Simon, a sports medicine specialist from Mainz, even a single visit to the gym can lead to significant electrolyte loss in older people.
- During exercise: Along with water, the body loses mainly sodium and chloride through sweat – ranging from a few hundred millilitres to three litres of sweat per hour, depending on the intensity of the exercise and the outside temperature. For shorter sessions, water is often sufficient; anyone exercising intensively for more than an hour should drink something from time to time.
- After exercise: According to the Hesse Consumer Advice Centre, mineral water is just as suitable as diluted fruit or vegetable juices for replenishing fluids and electrolytes.
- For diarrhoea: There are approved electrolyte preparations available from the chemist – see below for more information.
- For hangovers: Electrolyte products can go some way towards compensating for the fluid loss caused by alcohol, but they do not address the underlying causes. There are no official recommendations on this.
According to Simon, electrolyte products should not normally be taken on a long-term basis. People with cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, kidney disease, diabetes or conditions that affect mineral balance should be particularly cautious. If you have any pre-existing conditions or take medication regularly, it is best to discuss your intake with a doctor. The fluid intake calculator shows how much you should drink in total; the section ‘Not drinking enough’ explains how to tell if you haven’t drunk enough.
Why some oral rehydration solutions contain sugar
‘No sugar’ is not always the better choice. When it comes to oral rehydration solutions for diarrhoea, sugar is an essential component: an oral rehydration solution should combine glucose and sodium so that the joint transport of both substances in the gut improves absorption. The solution recommended by the WHO since 2002 contains 75 mmol each of glucose and sodium per litre. Sports drinks, fizzy drinks, fruit juice and similar beverages do not meet these criteria.
Sugar also plays a role in sport: according to the Hesse Consumer Advice Centre, fruit juice spritzers provide not only fluids and minerals but also carbohydrates as an energy boost, whilst the sodium and glucose in the juices help the body to absorb the fluids more effectively. They mix an isotonic drink using two parts sodium-rich mineral water – containing around 600 mg of sodium per litre – and one part juice. Ready-made isotonic drinks, on the other hand, usually contain plenty of flavourings, colourings and sweeteners, as well as unnecessary vitamin supplements.
You don’t need sugar for everyday life or shorter training sessions – water is often enough.
Drinks review: Electrolytes with no sugar
Mineral water: Natural mineral water must carry an analytical summary of its characteristic constituents on the label, and claims such as ‘contains sodium’ are subject to fixed minimum levels:
| Information on the label | Requirement under the Mineral and Table Water Regulations |
|---|---|
| containing sodium | more than 200 mg of sodium per litre |
| containing chloride | more than 200 mg of chloride per litre |
| containing magnesium | more than 50 mg of magnesium per litre |
| containing calcium | more than 150 mg of calcium per litre |
| suitable for a low-sodium diet | less than 20 mg of sodium per litre |
Effervescent tablets, powders and ready-to-drink beverages: these are often marketed as food supplements. Effervescent tablets frequently contain sweeteners or flavourings, whilst ready-to-drink beverages tend to be higher in sugar – and many products contain significant amounts of sodium, potassium or sugar. Effervescent tablets often contain bicarbonate of soda and other sodium salts to create the fizz. Dietary supplements are not generally required to state their salt content: in a market survey by the North Rhine-Westphalia Consumer Advice Centre, only 33 out of 72 effervescent tablets listed their salt or sodium content; where sodium was listed instead of salt, these were electrolyte or sports drinks.
Magnesium: For food supplements, the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment recommends a maximum of 250 mg of magnesium per recommended daily intake, spread over two or more servings; for fortified drinks, a maximum of 8 mg per 100 ml. This is because mild diarrhoea can occur with additional intake.
Sweeteners: They are often found in effervescent tablets and ready-made isotonic drinks. The ‘Sweeteners at a Glance’ section explains what each of these substances is all about.
Recipe: Electrolyte drink with no sugar
Our mocktail menu features the ‘Electrolyte’: still water, a pinch of sea salt, the juice of half a lemon and, optionally, 1 cl of maple syrup. If you leave out the syrup, no sugar is added. The sodium and chloride come from the salt, as table salt is sodium chloride. The menu doesn’t specify how much a pinch is – use it sparingly, as on average adults in Germany consume more salt than recommended anyway. We haven’t measured whether the drink is isotonic.
Our baby formula can doesn’t list any mineral content; it provides fluids, whilst the electrolytes in the formula come from the salt. You can find the full formula and background information at Making your own electrolytes, and find out whether still or sparkling suits you better Sparkling or still.
If you have diarrhoea: go to the chemist’s rather than trying to treat it yourself
Electrolyte preparations available from pharmacies are approved for people with acute diarrhoea to restore electrolyte and fluid balance. Dehydration is particularly dangerous for babies, young children and the elderly. As an oral rehydration solution for this purpose should combine glucose and sodium, a sugar-free electrolyte drink is not intended for this purpose. If you have diarrhoea or are vomiting, particularly if you are a child or an elderly person, it is best to ask at a pharmacy or GP’s surgery.
You can find more information about drinking on the ‘Drinking Water’ page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are electrolytes?
Minerals that carry an electrical charge when dissolved in a liquid such as blood – in blood, these are primarily sodium, potassium, chloride and bicarbonate. Magnesium and calcium are also included. Among other things, they help to regulate nerve and muscle function as well as fluid balance.
Are there any sports drinks with no sugar?
Yes. According to the Hesse Consumer Advice Centre, mineral water, for example, is a good choice after exercise to replace lost electrolytes. The analysis section on the label shows which minerals it contains; ‘contains sodium’ means more than 200 mg of sodium per litre. With effervescent tablets, it’s worth checking the list of ingredients, as they often contain sweeteners or flavourings. For most people, water and a balanced diet are sufficient anyway.
Which foods contain the most electrolytes?
We obtain sodium mainly from table salt, and chloride as well. Vegetables, fruit and nuts are rich in potassium; good sources of magnesium include wholemeal products, pulses, green leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds. Calcium is mainly found in milk and dairy products, as well as in calcium-rich mineral water.
When should you consume electrolytes?
When the body loses a lot of fluid: due to diarrhoea or vomiting, in extreme heat, in the sauna, or during intense endurance sessions lasting 60 minutes or more. For a normal visit to the gym, water is usually sufficient. In the event of acute diarrhoea, there are approved medicines available from the chemist’s.
What happens if you don’t have enough electrolytes?
If the body’s electrolyte balance is disrupted, this can lead to health problems. Triggers include, for example, dehydration, certain medicines, or conditions affecting the heart, kidneys or liver. Deficiencies are relatively rare in everyday life. If you experience any symptoms, consult a doctor to determine the cause.
Which drinks contain electrolytes?
The analysis summary – which natural mineral water is required to display on its label – indicates which minerals are present and in what quantities. According to the Hessen Consumer Advice Centre, mineral water and diluted fruit or vegetable juices are suitable for replenishing fluids and electrolytes after exercise; vegetable juices also provide plenty of minerals.
What should you look out for when choosing electrolyte effervescent tablets?
Effervescent tablets often contain bicarbonate of soda and other sodium salts to make them fizz, and dietary supplements are not usually required to state their salt content. According to the Consumer Advice Centre, anyone with high blood pressure is advised to opt for other forms of administration instead. If you have any pre-existing conditions or are taking medication regularly, discuss this with your doctor before taking them.
Do electrolytes help with a hangover?
They can partially compensate for the fluid loss caused by alcohol. However, they do not address the actual causes of a hangover, nor do they speed up the elimination of alcohol’s breakdown products.
Sources
- MSD Manual, Patient Edition: An Overview of Electrolytes, Last updated July 2025. msdmanuals.com
- MSD Manual, Professional Edition: Oral rehydration therapy, last updated July 2025. msdmanuals.com
- ZDFheute: Electrolytes: When powders, drinks and tablets are useful, 22 June 26. zdfheute.de
- Hessen Consumer Advice Centre: Specialised sports drinks are unnecessary, as at 27 April 2022. verbraucherzentrale-hessen.de
- German Nutrition Society: Reference values: Sodium, 2016 edition, accessed 16 September 2026. dge.de
- German Nutrition Society: Reference values: Chloride, 2016 edition, accessed 16 September 2026. dge.de
- German Nutrition Society: Reference values: Potassium, 2016 edition, accessed 16 September 2026. dge.de
- German Nutrition Society: Reference values: Magnesium, 2021 edition, accessed 16 September 2026. dge.de
- German Nutrition Society: Reference values: Calcium, 2013 edition, accessed 16 September 2026. dge.de
- World Health Organisation (WHO): Sodium reduction – Fact sheet, 11 May 26. who.int
- Consumer Advice Centre, Klartext Dietary Supplements portal: The downsides of effervescent tablets: Why the salt content can be a risk, as at 16 September 25. klartext-nahrungsergaenzung.de
- NRW Consumer Advice Centre: Market review: Sodium (salts) in effervescent dietary supplement tablets, as at April 2025. verbraucherzentrale.nrw
- Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR): Proposed maximum levels for magnesium in food, including food supplements, 2021, accessed 16 September 2026. bfr.bund.de
- Federal Ministry of Justice (gesetze-im-internet.de): Mineral and Table Water Regulation (Min/TafelWV), Section 8(7), Section 9(3) and Annex 6, last amended on 20 June 2023. gesetze-im-internet.de
- Pharmazeutische Zeitung: Making your own electrolyte solution, 30 December 2022. pharmazeutische-zeitung.de
- Pharmazeutische Zeitung: Moving away from party hype through online education, 29 December 23. pharmazeutische-zeitung.de
- ACQUA REAPER: Still can label, as at 08/26.
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