While electrolytes are mostly made by the body, when you’re dehydrated, levels can drop significantly and lead to cramps, headaches and more severe health issues. Fortunately, we can top up our electrolytes using powders, pills and ready-to-drink sodas packed with minerals. Though you might not need them all the time, there are certainly instances where they can help. If you’re not drinking enough water or you’re consuming caffeine or alcohol in hot weather, without electrolytes, you’re likely to feel unwell, and if you’re drinking booze, your hangovers will probably feel even worse. Professional athletes use electrolytes to hydrate and stabilise quickly, but the minerals have also become a go-to for the wellness crowd, and plenty of people who aren’t planning to run a marathon are incorporating essential hydrating minerals into their morning routines. PhD neuroscientist Dr Paul Anastasiades explains that alcohol is a diuretic and so increases water loss through urination, if consumed in large quantities, this can lead to dehydration and hangovers, although dehydration is not the sole cause of a hangover, it is one of the simplest symptoms to treat, by rehydrating – for example, using oral rehydration solutions comprising glucose and electrolytes – you can keep yourself feeling fresh.