The Complete Guide to Electrolytes UK
Electrolytes are not a trend and not a sports drink gimmick. They are fundamental minerals that govern how every cell in your body handles fluid, nerve signals and muscle contraction. This is the complete guide to electrolytes in the UK: what they are, what they do, who genuinely needs them, what is in Kollo Electrolytes+, and how to judge any electrolyte supplement before you buy, wherever you shop.
Around 60% of the human body is water, and electrolytes govern how that water is distributed. Every time you sweat, urinate or breathe you lose some, and sweat losses during exercise can run to half a litre or more per hour depending on intensity, heat and the individual. Research also shows that even mild dehydration, around 2% of body weight, can impair cognitive and physical performance.
A word of honesty before the detail: fatigue, headaches, cramps and brain fog all have many possible causes, and electrolyte imbalance is only one of them. If symptoms like these are persistent, see your GP rather than reaching for a supplement first.
Why many people fall short
The modern UK diet is not well suited to electrolyte balance. Ultra-processed foods are high in sodium but low in potassium and magnesium, and most UK adults consume less than the recommended 3,500mg of potassium per day, largely because fruit and vegetable intake sits below recommended levels. A significant proportion of adults also fall short of recommended magnesium intakes. Add regular exercise, alcohol, caffeine or an illness involving fever or digestive symptoms, all of which accelerate losses, and everyday shortfalls become common, not niche.
What is in Kollo Electrolytes+, and why
Himalayan pink salt (sodium), 800mg sodium per serving
Sodium is the primary extracellular electrolyte: it governs fluid balance outside cells, supports nerve impulse transmission and enables muscle contraction. It is also the electrolyte lost in the greatest quantity through sweat, and sodium loss is implicated in exercise-associated cramping and fatigue. At 800mg of sodium per serving, Kollo Electrolytes+ delivers a meaningful replacement for what is lost through sweat and daily activity.
Potassium, 260mg
Potassium is the primary intracellular electrolyte, working opposite sodium to maintain the electrical potential across cell membranes that enables nerve signalling and muscle contraction. Supplementing potassium alongside sodium keeps that critical balance maintained rather than skewed by sodium alone.
Aquamin® MgAG marine magnesium
Aquamin® MgAG is a marine-sourced magnesium derived from seawater, providing magnesium alongside naturally occurring trace minerals. Magnesium contributes to normal muscle function, normal energy-yielding metabolism and the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, and it is one of the minerals UK adults most commonly fall short of.
Calcium and phosphorus (dicalcium phosphate), 134mg calcium, 105mg phosphorus
Both are best known as bone minerals, but both also function as electrolytes in their ionised forms. Calcium contributes to normal muscle function and nerve transmission, and phosphorus plays a role in energy metabolism as a component of ATP.
Vitamin C (sodium ascorbate), 80mg (100% NRV)
A buffered, non-acidic form of vitamin C that is gentler on the stomach than ascorbic acid, relevant in a formula that may be drunk around exercise. Vitamin C contributes to normal immune function, the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, and normal collagen formation.
Zinc (zinc citrate), 10mg (100% NRV)
Zinc contributes to normal immune function and the maintenance of normal skin, at a full 100% NRV dose.
Vitamins B5 and B6 (100% NRV each)
B5 contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism, in plain terms how the body converts food into usable energy. B6 contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, normal psychological function and the regulation of hormonal activity.
Who benefits most
- Anyone who exercises regularly. Sweat depletes electrolytes, and drinking large volumes of plain water without minerals during long sessions can worsen the imbalance (in extreme cases a condition called hyponatraemia).
- Women in perimenopause and menopause. Oestrogen influences sodium retention and fluid regulation, and its decline can affect electrolyte balance. Our complete guide to menopause supplements covers the wider picture.
- Regular caffeine or alcohol drinkers. Both are diuretics: they increase urine output and the excretion of sodium, potassium and magnesium.
- Low-carb and ketogenic dieters. Lower insulin reduces the kidneys' sodium retention, which increases sodium, potassium and magnesium losses, particularly in the early weeks.
- Hot weather and travel. Heat and air travel both increase fluid and electrolyte loss.
Electrolytes vs plain water
Water moves across cell membranes by osmosis, following electrolytes. Drinking very large volumes of plain water without adequate minerals dilutes the electrolyte concentration in your blood, which can impair cellular hydration and, during prolonged exercise, is the mechanism behind hyponatraemia. Proper hydration is water plus electrolytes in a sensible ratio, not just more water.
When and how to use Kollo Electrolytes+
- Daily: one sachet in around 500ml of water, at whatever time fits your routine
- Around exercise: before or during longer sessions, or afterwards to replace sweat losses
- Hot days and flights: a simple way to keep on top of increased losses
- During minor illness: fever, vomiting and diarrhoea all cause rapid fluid and electrolyte loss, and a sugar-free electrolyte drink can support rehydration
How to judge any electrolyte supplement before you buy
Whether you are shopping on the high street or online, the same four checks separate a complete electrolyte product from a basic one. Many products contain only two or three minerals, typically sodium and potassium, because they are the cheapest and most prominent to include.
| Check | What to look for |
|---|---|
| All six electrolytes | Sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, chloride and phosphate. Missing magnesium is the most common and most significant gap. |
| Magnesium form | The form matters as much as the dose. One absorption study put magnesium oxide, the cheapest form, at around 4% bioavailability. Look for a named, well-absorbed form such as marine magnesium or glycinate, not just a total figure. |
| Meaningful doses | Some products list all six minerals at doses too low to matter. As a guide, look for several hundred milligrams of sodium and a meaningful magnesium dose per serving. |
| What else is in it | Mainstream sports drinks are primarily sugar delivery vehicles with some electrolytes added. Check for added sugar, artificial colours and sweeteners. |
Kollo Electrolytes+ was formulated against exactly that checklist: all six electrolytes including Aquamin® marine magnesium and 800mg of sodium from Himalayan pink salt per sachet, sugar-free and sweetened with plant-derived stevia, with no artificial colours, in ready-mix sachets across four flavours (raspberry, orange, tropical, and lemon and lime). It is sold directly at kollohealth.com rather than through high street retailers. For a complete daily routine, many customers pair it with Kollo Premium Liquid Marine Collagen.
Shop Kollo Electrolytes+ Advanced Hydration
Kollo Health was co-founded by Jenni Falconer - TV presenter, Smooth Radio breakfast host, ten-time London Marathon runner and host of the RunPod podcast. Read her story and why she created Kollo.
