Electrolytes Decoded Ditch the convenience-store sports drinks and level up with the right ratio of performance-enhancing electrolytes. When you think of sports drinks and workout nutrition supplements, you probably think about amino acids and carbs. If you really know your stuff, you might think about leucine and HBCD. And if you really really know your ingredients, you consider things like beta-alanine and malic acid. What most of us don't think about too deeply is hydration and electrolytes. We just toss all those ingredients above into some water and hit the gym or playing field. To optimize performance, we need to dig deeper into electrolytes. Hydration is just replacing water in the body, but it's a lot more complicated when it comes to rehydrating during and after training. Sweat isn't just water. When you lose it, you also lose electrolytes that carry the electrical impulses needed for muscle contractions and transmission of nerve impulses. Most sports drinks contain a couple of electrolytes, but unless you're playing a casual game of basketball, you need something more. 
The 7 Performance-Enhancing Electrolytes - Salt: This one should be obvious. Salt provides sodium and chloride, essential electrolytes for maintaining fluid balance, nerve signaling, and muscle contractions. Salt replenishes sodium lost in sweat, of course, but it also helps prevent dehydration and heat-related fatigue and improves water absorption in the gut when paired with carbs.
- Sodium Citrate: Sodium citrate is a sodium salt of citric acid, offering sodium for electrolyte balance and citric acid for alkalizing effects. It acts as a buffering agent, helping neutralize lactic acid buildup. Sodium citrate enhances endurance by delaying fatigue. It's especially beneficial for activities requiring sustained high effort, like cycling, running, or certain CrossFit workouts.
- Sodium Phosphate Dibasic: This electrolyte provides sodium and phosphate, essential for energy metabolism and buffering. Sodium phosphate dibasic enhances oxygen transport and utilization by increasing 2,3-DPG levels in red blood cells. It also supports ATP production, crucial for muscle energy during training. Endurance athletes love it because it improves stamina and recovery by buffering metabolic acidosis.
- Potassium Bicarbonate: Potassium bicarbonate provides potassium (a key intracellular electrolyte) and bicarbonate, a buffering agent. It supports strong muscle contractions and prevents cramps. For performance, it reduces fatigue by buffering blood acidity.
- Potassium Phosphate Dibasic: This electrolyte supplies potassium and phosphate for cellular energy and pH balance. It boosts ATP production for sustained energy output, aids muscle recovery, and enhances endurance by buffering acid build-up during intense exercise.
- Calcium Citrate: This is a bioavailable form of calcium that supports muscle contractions, prevents imbalances that cause twitching or cramps, and supports muscle recovery.
- Magnesium Citrate Tribasic: A highly absorbable form of magnesium, magnesium citrate tribasic is crucial for over 300 enzymatic reactions. It supports muscle relaxation and reduces the risk of cramps or spasms. It plays a role in energy metabolism and ATP production, reduces fatigue, and helps combat exercise-induced oxidative stress and inflammation.
Putting Them All Together While these electrolytes boost performance, hydration, and recovery, they must be balanced correctly. For example, too much magnesium citrate tribasic might cause a laxative effect, and too much potassium bicarbonate may cause gastrointestinal discomfort. We took the guesswork out and included the right ratio of these electrolytes in our Surge Performance Fuel (Buy at Amazon) formula. We tested it on everyone from professional football players and extreme endurance athletes to bodybuilders and competitive CrossFitters. 
Along with these electrolytes, the Surge formula contains: | 
