Originally Posted by
Jughed
For the most part, electrolytes and the need to replace them doesn't come into play for anything under at least an hour - and in many cases up to and beyond 2 hours.
Electrolyte in your drink is not just about maintaining your sodium. It's also there to help your body absorb the water you're drinking.
Plain water takes longer to get out of your GI system than an isotonic solution (same concentration of solutes as the fluid inside a cell). A little salt with some sugar can make plain water isotonic. Water sloshing around in your gut is not beneficial, and it may lead to an upset tummy.