Does Adding Salt to Drinking Water Boost Hydration?

Why are people adding salt to their drinking water? The quest for hydration may have gone too far.

Drinking water every day is key to maintaining overall well-being. Not only does proper hydration regulate a healthy body temperature, but it also lubricates your joints and helps get rid of waste.

Despite these benefits, most people fail to consume enough water day-to-day. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that from 2015 to 2018, children in the U.S. only drank an average of 3 cups of water daily while adults drank an average of 5 cups.

However, people on social media claim one easy and affordable tip that can help with hydration is adding salt to your water.

One TikTok user states that adding Celtic sea salt to your water bottle can help you better absorb the water because the minerals in the salt can help “pick up the water molecules and drive them into our cells.” 

Even a certified clinical nutritionist made a video claiming that she adds salt to her water to help with hydration and replenish water and sodium levels. “To prevent headaches, muscle aches, and low energy, I make sure to add salt into my water or use an electrolyte supplement like LMNT,” she said.

But does it actually work? Here’s what experts want you to know before you begin adding salt to your drinking water

The Role of Sodium in Hydration

According to Danielle Crumble Smith, RDN, a certified registered dietitian at Top Nutrition Coaching, adding a small amount of salt to your water can help increase hydration, especially during vigorous exercise or in hot climates where you might be sweating heavily or losing water and electrolytes rapidly. 

“This is due to the role of sodium, a key component of salt, in the body’s hydration process,” Crumble Smith, told Health. “Sodium works like a magnet to draw water into cells, which is critical for maintaining hydration.” 

When you drink water, it goes through your bloodstream and passes into your body’s cells, where it is used for different essential functions. However, water relies on a balance of electrolytes, specifically sodium to move in and out of cells properly, she explained. 

When you exercise or sweat, you lose not only water but also electrolytes like sodium. By adding a small amount of salt to your drinking water, “you can help replenish these lost electrolytes, promoting better water absorption and preventing dehydration,” Crumble Smith said. 

Replenishing Lost Electrolytes

Adding salt to your water is best for athletes and active people who are losing electrolytes like sodium through sweat from high-intensity or long-duration physical activities, Crumble Smith said.

For instance, it can be beneficial for people who are competing in marathons, triathlons, or regularly completing high-intensity workouts. 

“Drinking salt water or a sports drink can help replenish these lost electrolytes, improve hydration, and potentially enhance performance,” she said.

It may also be useful in hot and humid conditions when people are sweating more than usual, leading to a higher loss of water and electrolytes, said Crumble Smith. “Drinking salt water can help replace these losses and prevent dehydration and heat-related illnesses.” 

Furthermore, people who are sick and are losing a lot of fluid and electrolytes through blowing their nose, diarrhea, or vomiting may also benefit from drinking a salty beverage, Roxana Ehsani, RD, LDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist and board-certified sports dietitian in Miami, Florida, told Health.

Drinking a solution that contains salt and electrolytes can help with rehydration by replenishing what the body has lost and can also help prevent further dehydration. 

Should You Add Salt To Your Drinking Water? 

Ehsani and Crumble Smith agreed that although salt water can be beneficial in certain situations, it’s important to keep in mind that consuming too much sodium and salt can lead to negative health consequences, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney disease, and stroke.

According to Ehsani, while drinking salt water can help you retain water and help with hydration, it doesn’t mean that everyone should always be adding salt to their water.

That’s because most people are able to get enough sodium from their diet alone. Drinking plain water and consuming a balanced diet should provide enough electrolytes (like sodium) for proper hydration. 

“The average American gets plenty of sodium through their diet and it is not a nutrient of concern,” Ehsani said. “Most people are actually consuming too much of it daily” whether that be from breads, crackers, pretzels, soups, pre-made foods, canned foods, broths, or condiments.

How Much Salt Is Too Much Salt?

How much salt a person adds to their water largely depends on their activity level, sweat rate, and environmental conditions, Ehsani said.

“For example, an athlete who just ran 1 hour may have lost between 1,300 to 5,500 mg of salt in their sweat,” she said. “They could benefit from adding ½ to 1 tsp of salt into their recovery beverage, or focus on incorporating a meal that contains salty foods post-workout.”

However, a commonly suggested guideline for those engaged in endurance activities is to add about ¼ to ½ teaspoons of salt (around 1.5 to 3 grams) per liter of water, Crumble Smith said. This is equivalent to about 500 to 1,000 mg of sodium, which is about the amount lost in one liter of sweat during intense physical activity.

"It’s important to note that individual sweat rates and sodium concentration can vary greatly, and the above guideline may not suit everyone,” she said. “Some individuals might need less or more.”

The standard recommendation for most people is no more than 2,300 mg of sodium per day. For anyone with high blood pressure or diabetes, the American Heart Association (AHA) suggests less than 1,500 mg of sodium per day. (1 teaspoon of salt already contains 2,300 mg).

Does the Type of Salt You Use Matter?

No matter what salt you choose or prefer to use, experts say most primarily consist of sodium chloride and typically do not have many nutritional differences aside from taste and textures. 

“You could just use table salt. Some of the other salts may have trace amounts of minerals in them but don’t really give you a huge boost to them, so it’s okay just to stick with what you have in your pantry,” Ehsani said.

However, if you are looking to mix it up, common types of salt you can choose from include sea salt, Himalayan pink salt, kosher salt, and Celtic salt, Crumble Smith said.

“While these different types of salt can add unique flavor and texture to your meals, they are all similar nutritionally,” she said. “Any of them can help replenish sodium after intense exercise.”

Alternative Ways to Boost Hydration

If you aren’t a huge fan of putting salt in your water, some alternatives can help you meet your hydration needs. These include:

• Sports drinks: Many sports drinks on the market can provide electrolytes, including sodium that are needed during and after prolonged physical activity.
• Coconut water: Natural coconut water also contains electrolytes along with sodium and potassium. For those who want a more natural and low-sugar beverage, coconut water can help maintain hydration.
• Hydration tablets or powders: There are many tablets and powders available for purchase that can be mixed with water and can also provide electrolytes, vitamins, and minerals. Some tablets and powders come in different flavors which can be more tasteful compared to drinking salt water.
• Spices and herbs: Using certain spices with water may also help replace electrolytes. For instance, you could add ginger (which is rich in potassium) and a little bit of honey for flavor, Crumble Smith said.