How Much Water and Electrolytes Do You Really Need During Exercise?

Cramping mid-race? Bonking even when your carbs are dialed in? Feeling like garbage after a sweaty workout? You’re probably not fueling wrong—you’re hydrating wrong.

Hydration isn’t just about drinking more water. It’s about replacing what you lose—fluids and electrolytes—at the right time, in the right amounts. And guess what? That changes based on your body, the weather, and how hard you’re training.

That’s why we built this Hydration & Electrolyte Calculator. It helps you figure out exactly how much you sweat out—and what you need to put back in.

Why Hydration Matters for Performance

Even mild dehydration—just 1–2% of your body weight—can lead to:

• ⬇️ Decreased endurance
• ⬆️ Higher perceived effort
• 💣 Increased risk of cramps
• 🧠 Slower reaction time and mental fog

And if you’re not replacing electrolytes (especially sodium and potassium) as you go, water alone might not cut it. You need a proper balance of fluid and minerals to maintain performance and avoid that post-workout zombie state.

What Affects Sweat and Electrolyte Loss?

Your hydration needs are impacted by a few key factors:

• 🌡️ Temperature & Humidity: Hot and humid? You're sweating more—guaranteed.
• 🏃♂️ Exercise Intensity: The harder you work, the more you lose.
• ⏱️ Workout Duration: The longer you train, the more you’ll need to replace.
• ⚖️ Body Size: Larger athletes typically have higher sweat rates.

Most athletes lose 0.5 to 2.5 liters of sweat per hour, with sodium losses ranging from 400 to 1,500 mg per liter. That’s a big spread—which is why our calculator tailors results based on instead of guessing.

How to Use the Hydration & Electrolyte Calculator

1. ⚖️ Enter your body weight
2. ⏱️ Plug in your workout duration
3. 🔥 Select your intensity level
4. 🌡️ Choose the environment or temperature

Hit “Calculate” and boom—you’ll get a breakdown of fluid loss in liters, sodium and potassium needs in milligrams, and a tip for replacing them effectively.

What to Rehydrate With

Not all electrolyte drinks are created equal. Look for one that:

• ✅ Replaces all essential electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium)
• ⚖️ Uses a 3:2 sodium to potassium ratio—the same one you lose in sweat
• 🚫 Avoids added sugars, dyes, or garbage ingredients

That’s exactly why we built Quench Hydration. It reflects real sweat loss ratios, supports endurance performance, and helps you recover faster—without the artificial junk.

When to Hydrate

Hydration isn’t just a mid-race thing. Here’s a quick guide:

• 💧 Before: 12–20 oz of water or electrolyte drink 60–90 min pre-exercise
• 🚴 During: ~16–28 oz per hour, depending on sweat rate + heat
• 🧃 After: Replace 150% of weight lost (e.g., lose 1 lb = drink 24 oz)

Bonus tip: If you’re a salty sweater (white marks on your hat or jersey), you’ll want to push toward the higher end of sodium replacement (~1,000–1,200mg/hour).

TL;DR – Don’t Wing Your Hydration

• ✅ Mild dehydration can crush your performance
• 🧂 Electrolytes matter—especially sodium + potassium
• 📊 Our calculator helps you personalize your hydration strategy
• 🥤 Quench Hydration replaces electrolytes in a real-sweat 3:2 ratio