Electrolyte drinks are everywhere right now.

They're popping up on podcasts, in influencer morning routines and on supermarket shelves.

But are they really necessary for everyone?

I recently spoke with the Australian Financial Review about this exact question for their article, “Electrolyte Drinks: The Simple Rule for When to Consume Them” (note: google the title to access the article if you don't have a subscription).

Here’s the key takeaway:

•  For most people, plain water is perfectly adequate for hydration. Electrolyte drinks are only beneficial when you’re exercising for long durations (think four hours or more) or sweating heavily in hot and humid conditions.

As I explained in the article, your sweat rate and sweat-sodium concentration are highly individual.

Some athletes lose much more sodium than others. If your training clothes often have white, crusty marks or you can wring out your top after a session, you might be a salty or heavy sweater.

That’s when it’s worth...