Kelsey HigginsonSports Nutrition Coach and Founder at Clutch Day Coaching

Electrolyte powders for athletes

9 Oct 2025 · 1 min

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0:52

In this instructional video, the speaker presents a practical framework for selecting electrolyte powders based on sodium content. Emphasizing that sodium amount is the key metric, the speaker outlines five usage scenarios: cooler/short sessions (~300 mg Na), moderate temperature 45‑60 min practices (~400‑500 mg Na), warmer/longer sessions (~500 mg Na), tournament or high‑sweat days (~800 mg Na), and extreme heat/humidity with cramp‑prone athletes (~1,000 mg Na). The brand of powder is deemed less important than its sodium level, and the speaker uses a visual scale to illustrate the appropriate dosage for each condition.

Chapters

This is my electrolyte powder scale. Some of my athletes are going to need the ones here on top, and some of them are going to want the ones here on bottom. It all just depends. So let's break it down. When looking at these electrolytes, the biggest number that I pay attention to is how much sodium it has. The brand doesn't necessarily matter, but these brands are a good representation of the amount of sodium that they contain. First one, cooler weather, shorter sessions, not sweating as much, you want about 300 milligrams of sodium. Second one, moderate temperature, 45 to 60 minute practices, so sweating a little bit more than that, you want between 400 to 500 right here. Warmer weather, more sweat, longer sessions, you want about 500 milligrams of sodium right here. Tournament day, long games, higher sweat rate, you're sweating a lot, it's a little hotter outside, about 800 is gonna be what we're shooting for here. And then if you are really prone to cramping, it is hot, it is humid, you're full pads, it's a longer practice, you wanna be looking at 1,000 milligrams of sodium to keep you from cramping.