Sip or Skip? The Truth About Electrolytes

Short Wave

NPR

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4.7 • 6K Ratings

🗓️ 8 September 2025

⏱️ 11 minutes

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Summary

U.S. consumers spend more than $10 billion a year on sports drinks, according to Beverage Industry, a trade publication. And we can’t lie that sometimes a Gatorade or electrolyte tablet sounds really appealing in the quest to hydrate daily – especially since it’s been a very hot, long summer. But the question is: Are we even sweating enough to warrant all these sugary electrolyte-filled drinks? NPR health correspondent Pien Huang has been on the case, and she brings us answers she’s racked up in her reporting today.

Read more of Pien’s reporting on electrolytes and hydration.

Interested in more consumer health or human biology stories? Email us your question at [email protected] – we may feature it in an upcoming episode!

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Dean Regis here, astronomer and host of Looking Up.
0:03.6	I journey to the far reaches of the universe, hearing from scientists, astronauts, and geeky celebs along the way.
0:10.6	We cover everything from black holes to the latest in science fiction.
0:14.7	Listen now to the Looking Up podcast from the NPR Network and Cincinnati Public Radio.
0:20.2	You're listening to Shortwave from NPR network and Cincinnati Public Radio. You're listening to Shortwave.
0:23.1	From NPR.
0:26.2	Hey, short wavers.
0:27.5	Regina Barber here with health correspondent, friend of the show, Ping Wong, to talk about sports drinks.
0:33.5	Hey, Ping.
0:34.7	Hey, Gina.
0:35.8	Question for you.
0:36.5	Do you drink sports drinks? I do only when it's, like, incredibly humid here, Gina. Question for you. Do you drink sports drinks?
0:38.2	I do only when it's like incredibly humid here in D.C.
0:41.7	And I feel like sweating a lot and I feel a little off.
0:44.6	And I think I need something more than water.
0:47.5	Okay.
0:47.9	And let's be specific here.
0:49.5	Like when we're talking about sports drink, we mean those like bottled drinks that you grab at the grocery store, the convenience store, Gatorade, powerade, things that typically contain sugar, water, along with salt and other electrolytes.
1:01.7	Yes.
1:02.5	And Gina, you're not alone.
1:05.0	U.S. consumers actually spend more than $10 billion a year on the sports drink market.
1:10.1	Wow.
	...

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