Electrolytes and hydration: what to drink during training, not after
Sweat takes more than water — it takes salts. If you don't replace them, both how you feel and your results decline. Here's how the body actually absorbs fluid and why 'water + salt + a little carbohydrate' beats plain water.
Water vs. water with electrolytes
Not all fluids are retained equally. In a study comparing drinks by a hydration index, solutions with electrolytes and a small amount of nutrients were retained longer and better than plain water [1]. Plain water quickly lowers blood osmolality and partly 'leaves' via urine — for training, that means less stable hydration.
How fluid is absorbed: sodium-glucose cotransport
The main mechanism of water uptake in the gut isn't 'water by itself' but sodium-glucose cotransport (the SGLT1 transporter): sodium and glucose are pulled into the cell together, and water follows by osmosis. Rehydration solutions are built on exactly this principle [2]. So a small amount of carbohydrate (maltodextrin, glucose) plus sodium isn't 'excess sugar' but a mechanism that speeds water absorption.
Sodium, potassium, magnesium — why each matters
Sodium retains fluid and maintains water-salt balance; potassium is involved in muscle and heart function; magnesium in neuromuscular transmission and hundreds of reactions [4]. On cramps the science is cautious: the cause is more often neuromuscular over-excitation and fatigue than 'salt loss' alone [3] — but replacing electrolytes and staying hydrated remain a basic, sensible strategy in long efforts. MY4 SPORT MOTION contains sodium, potassium and magnesium citrates.
Why carbs during exercise
Beyond speeding water uptake, maltodextrin and glucose provide rapidly available energy to working muscles and help sustain pace in long or intense sessions. It's 'fuel in the tank' and a 'pump' for hydration — not 'sugar for taste'.
MY4 SPORT MOTION in your bottle
Dissolve an MY4 SPORT MOTION stick in your bottle and sip during training. Electrolytes + carbs = faster water uptake, stable hydration and pace through your final set.
Motion
Everything from this article — in one stick.
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References
- [1]Maughan RJ, et al. A randomized trial to assess the potential of different beverages to affect hydration status: development of a beverage hydration index. Am J Clin Nutr. 2016;103(3):717–723.
- [2]Baker LB, Jeukendrup AE. Optimal composition of fluid-replacement beverages. Compr Physiol. 2014;4(2):575–620.
- [3]Maughan RJ, Shirreffs SM. Muscle cramping during exercise: causes, solutions, and questions remaining. Sports Med. 2019;49(Suppl 2):115–124.
- [4]de Baaij JHF, et al. Magnesium in man: implications for health and disease. Physiol Rev. 2015;95(1):1–46.
This material is informational and not medical advice. MY4 products are dietary supplements, not medicines. Consult a specialist before use; do not exceed the recommended dose.
