Supplements · ~0 kcal per serving of an unsweetened mix in water
Does unsweetened electrolytes break a fast?
No. Salt, magnesium and unsweetened electrolyte mixes have no meaningful calories and are safe for every goal. Sugary sports drinks break a fast.
Full answer: Intermittent Fasting Electrolytes: Do They Break a Fast?
The answer for each goal
Weight loss
SafeAutophagy
SafeGut rest
SafeBlood sugar
SafeElectrolytes during a fast usually means sodium, potassium and magnesium, taken as a pinch of salt in water or an unsweetened powder. Plain versions carry no meaningful calories, and the database marks them safe for all four of the site's own goals. In the first days of a fast, the kidneys pass more sodium and water than usual.
Sugar is what turns an electrolyte drink into food. A regular 500 ml sports drink has about 130 kcal and 26 g of sugar, with about 195 mg of sodium. A quarter teaspoon of salt has about 500 to 580 mg of sodium and no calories. Mixes sweetened with stevia or sucralose have no calories either. The database still rates their sweet taste grey for every goal.
Count added salt toward WHO's advice to keep sodium under 2,000 mg a day. Potassium is best from food, such as a medium banana with about 420 mg. In the EU, the upper limit for magnesium from supplements is 250 mg a day for adults.
Watch out
Ask your doctor before adding salt if you have high blood pressure, kidney disease or heart failure, or take water tablets. Potassium mixes are unsafe with kidney disease, ACE inhibitors, ARBs or potassium-sparing water tablets unless your doctor agrees.
Questions people ask
What electrolytes break a fast?
Drinks, powders and tablets that contain sugar, dextrose or maltodextrin. A 500 ml sports drink has about 130 kcal and 26 g of sugar. Sweetened zero-calorie mixes are a grey area.
What is the best electrolyte for intermittent fasting?
Pick one with no sugar, dextrose or maltodextrin and close to 0 kcal a serving. It should print the sodium per serving so you can count it. A quarter teaspoon of salt in a large glass of water also works.
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