Flat by your last set? 5 signs you’re sweating out more than water
Why heavy sweaters need electrolytes to bounce back between sessions
You're the one wiping down the bench twice. Your towel is wet by the third set, and the floor under your rower looks like it's been mopped.
How much people sweat varies a lot, and so does how much salt that sweat carries. If you're at the heavy end, water replaces the fluid but not the sodium. Here are five signs you're one of the heavy sweaters.
Your towel is soaked before your last set
A high sweat rate is one of the situations where the Australian Institute of Sport says electrolyte replacement can be useful. If you're dripping well before the end of a session, you're losing more fluid than most people in the room.
Try this
Bring a full bottle of water to every session. Add electrolytes on the days you know you'll sweat the most.
Your session runs past an hour in a hot gym
Australia's food standards use 60 minutes of sustained, strenuous activity as the benchmark for when an electrolyte drink is designed to be used. A HYROX simulation, a double class or a garage-gym session in January can easily go past it.
Sweat stings your eyes or marks your shirt
Stinging sweat and white marks on dark gym gear point to salty sweat. The AIS lists “salty sweat” alongside high sweat rates as a reason to think about replacing electrolytes.
True Electrolyte has 334mg of sodium, 219mg of potassium and 60mg of magnesium per serve, with 1.2g of sugar.
The scales drop more than a kilo after training
Weigh yourself before and after a hard session. Each kilogram lost is roughly a litre of sweat. The AIS suggests drinking about 1.2 to 1.5 times that deficit over the next 2 to 4 hours, and says rehydration is more efficient when electrolytes are replaced as well.
Try this
Do the before-and-after weigh-in for your three hardest sessions this week. It shows you which days need more than water.
You train twice a day or on back-to-back days
If you train in the morning and again that evening, you have less time to catch up on fluid in between. Starting the second session already behind makes it feel harder than it should.
Try this
Have one serve after your first session, then water through the day until you train again.
What goes into True Electrolyte
Each 6g serve mixes into 400ml of cold water in your shaker or bottle. It's caffeine-free and made by True in Sydney. Every serve combines all three main electrolytes, with 334mg of sodium, 219mg of potassium and 60mg of magnesium, to help replace what heavy sweaters lose. Magnesium is necessary for normal electrolyte balance, and each serve provides 19% of the RDI.
- Sodium334mg
- Potassium219mg
- Magnesium60mg
- Sugar1.2g
- CaffeineNone
- Sweetened withStevia and thaumatin
- FlavoursTropical, Lemon Burst, Strawberry, Blueberry
- Pack240g, 40 serves
“Refreshing after a big workout”
“I was looking for a clean electrolyte that actually made me feel hydrated, and this ticks all the boxes”
Before you take electrolytes
If you have high blood pressure, a heart or kidney condition, or have been told to limit salt, check with your GP before adding electrolyte drinks.
Keep a few sachets in your gym bag
Electrolyte Travel Pack: 12 single-serve sachets in assorted flavours.
Tear one straight into your shaker or bottle on the days you know you'll sweat the most, no scoop or tub needed. Keep a few in your gym bag and switch flavours whenever you like.
$30
Already have a favourite flavour? The 240g pouch is $45 for 40 serves.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need electrolytes for every session?
No. Water is enough for most sessions. Electrolytes are most useful when you sweat heavily, train for longer than an hour or train in a hot space.
Should I drink it during or after training?
Either. Sip it during long, sweaty sessions, or have it afterwards if you've finished noticeably lighter. Mix 6g (2 level teaspoons) into 400ml of cold water.
Can I add creatine to it?
Yes. Unflavoured creatine monohydrate mixes into it without changing the flavour much.
Does it have caffeine?
No, so you can have it alongside a pre-workout or in the evening.
Isn't sodium bad for me?
Most Australians already eat more salt than they need, so save electrolytes for the days you sweat heavily. If you have high blood pressure or have been told to limit salt, check with your GP first.
Can I have it while pregnant or breastfeeding?
It isn't recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Talk to your GP or midwife about staying hydrated during this time.
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