When Should You Take Electrolyte Tablets During Exercise

Staying hydrated during exercise goes beyond just drinking water. When you sweat, your body loses more than just fluid. It also loses electrolytes. These small but important minerals like sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium keep your muscles working, help your nerves send signals, and support how well your body holds onto fluid.

If you're exercising often, especially in warmer weather or for long sessions, keeping your electrolytes steady can make a big difference in how you feel and perform.

Electrolyte tablets are one simple way to do that. They're handy, easy to use and dissolve fast in water. They give your body back the minerals it loses when you sweat. But timing makes a difference here. Should you take them before you train, during your session or after it's done? That depends on how hard you're working, how long you're exercising, and how your body handles sweat. Let’s unpack it all step by step.

Understanding Electrolyte Tablets And Their Importance

Electrolyte tablets are small tablets you drop into water. They help put back important minerals your body loses while you’re active. Water by itself hydrates you, but it doesn’t replace minerals like sodium or magnesium. That’s where tablets come in. They support muscle control, help prevent cramps and can keep your energy more steady during movement.

Whether you're heading out for a run, lifting weights at the gym or walking up a steep trail, keeping your electrolytes in check can leave you feeling stronger and more alert from start to finish.

LYTES - AU stocks a range of popular electrolyte tablets suited to all kinds of activities. Brands like Redmond Re-Lyte, LMNT, Sodii and Saltt give you options based on what your body needs. Re-Lyte uses clean ingredients and aims for a balanced mineral mix, while LMNT packs in more sodium for those who sweat a lot or follow a low-carb diet. Saltt and Sodii offer more natural blends, often with trace minerals for daily support without too much added stuff. The key is finding a mix that suits your body, your workouts and your goals.

Pre-Exercise Hydration: Setting The Stage

It’s common to worry about staying hydrated once you’re already sweating, but what you do before your workout really matters too. If you show up to your workout already low on fluids or electrolytes, your muscles can tire faster and you might feel light-headed or flat halfway through. Drinking plain water helps, but electrolyte tablets can take your pre-workout prep up a notch.

Think of it like fuelling up before a big drive. You wouldn't start a road trip on an empty tank, so give your body what it needs ahead of time. About 30 to 60 minutes before you start exercising, try drinking water with an electrolyte tablet suited to your needs. Here's how to do it right:

- Add one tablet to water and drink slowly over 30 minutes before your workout
- Pick a tablet with little to no sugar if you're watching your intake
- Choose higher sodium formulas if you're training longer or tend to sweat more
- Stick to the recommended dose on the pack to avoid overdoing it
- Watch for signs like weakness or early fatigue, which could mean more support is needed

Setting your hydration plan before you move can help you train harder, recover faster and feel steadier throughout your session. You might need to experiment a little to find what works best, but your body will thank you.

During Exercise: Maintaining Balance And Performance

Once you start your workout, especially if it’s high-intensity or longer than 30 minutes, your body begins to lose more fluids and minerals through sweat. If you don’t replace them along the way, your performance can drop and unwanted signs like cramps or brain fog might appear.

This is where electrolyte tablets really help. You can prepare a bottle before you start and sip on it as you go. This works well for runners, cyclists or anyone doing extended training outdoors. Even heavy weightlifting or interval sessions benefit from steady hydration during breaks.

As a rule of thumb, start sipping about 20 minutes into your session and continue through the rest of the workout. Small, regular sips are better than chugging a bunch all at once. Keep your levels steady instead of trying to catch up.

Tips to stay hydrated while you train:

- Use a water bottle with markers so you know how much you’re drinking
- Don’t wait until you feel thirsty, that's a sign you're already behind
- For shorter sessions under 30 minutes, you may not need more than water
- For sessions over one hour or in heat, a tablet with sodium, potassium and magnesium is useful

Keeping fluids and minerals topped up mid-workout doesn’t just help with performance. It pays off in your recovery too, helping your body return to normal faster with less fatigue the next day.

Post-Exercise Recovery: Restoring What’s Lost

After exercise, your body switches gears into recovery mode. It cools itself down, repairs muscle fibres and works to return to balance. But that work uses up more than just energy. It also drains electrolytes, especially if you pushed hard or sweat heavily.

Many people remember to stretch or grab a protein snack after they train but forget about electrolytes. That’s a missed chance to speed up recovery and avoid that drained feeling later on.

Taking an electrolyte tablet shortly after your workout helps put minerals back in your system. It can ease cramps, fight tiredness and let your muscles bounce back faster.

Post-workout tablet tips:

- Take within 30 minutes of finishing your workout
- Pair it with some water during your cooldown
- Use tablets with balanced minerals like Redmond Re-Lyte or high-sodium options like LMNT if you lost a lot of salt

This small step helps your body rehydrate better than water alone. Opt for what suits your session. A heavy, sweat-filled workout likely needs something stronger, while a lighter session might only call for a moderate dose.

Choosing The Right Electrolyte Tablets For You

Not all electrolyte tablets are built the same. Some are heavier on sodium for people who train hard and sweat a lot. Others stay light, with simple, balanced blends better suited to short sessions or gentle daily movement. Picking the right one makes a noticeable difference in how you feel during and after your workout.

At LYTES - AU, we stock brands that support a wide range of needs:

- LMNT: Higher sodium for intense training or low-carb lifestyles
- Redmond Re-Lyte: Balanced mix of key minerals with a clean label focus
- Sodii: Light, no-sugar option great for daily use or during fasting
- Saltt: Contains trace minerals and natural formulas, ideal for general support

If you're doing 20-minute home workouts, Sodii or Saltt might be enough. But long cardio sessions or outdoor training could be better paired with LMNT or Re-Lyte. The same goes for those doing fasted workouts — options without carbs or sugar like LMNT become even more useful.

Some athletes switch it up, choosing products based on the day’s plan. A heavy lift day might call for a stronger hit, while a light yoga flow only needs modest support. With a good mix in your cupboard, you can meet your body where it's at.

Stay Hydrated and Feel Your Best

Keeping your electrolyte levels steady helps you train harder, feel better and bounce back quicker after each session. It’s not about guessing or overloading. It’s about finding a simple routine that works for your body.

From your first warm-up stretch to your cooldown drink, adding the right electrolyte tablet at the right time makes a big difference. Whether you're just starting out or already deep into a regular training plan, taking care of your hydration and mineral balance helps you stay consistent and avoid burnout.

Tuning into your body, adjusting to your sweat rate and choosing well-made tablets like those from LMNT, Redmond Re-Lyte, Sodii and Saltt will set you up for stronger, smoother workouts.

To get the most out of your workouts and stay ahead of dehydration, explore the benefits of electrolyte tablets that are made to support your body before, during and after exercise. With trusted options like Redmond Re-Lyte and LMNT, LYTES - AU offers a range that fits everything from light sessions to high-sweat training days.