Verbatim response from Perplexity
Not usually. For most healthy people doing normal daily activities or short workouts, plain water plus a normal diet is enough, and salt water is not the same thing as a balanced electrolyte packet because it only adds sodium/chloride, not the other electrolytes some products include.[3][4][5][7]
Electrolyte packets are most worth it when you are sweating a lot or losing fluids quickly—for example, exercise lasting more than about an hour, hot/humid conditions, heavy sweating, or vomiting/diarrhea.[3][4][5][8] In those cases, packets can help replace sodium lost in sweat and may be easier to use than plain salt water because they are formulated to dissolve into a drink and often include potassium, magnesium, and sometimes glucose for absorption.[3][6][7]
Salt water can be good enough in a pinch if the main goal is simply replacing sodium, but it is not equivalent to most electrolyte mixes.[3][4] It also lacks the convenience, taste, and often the carbohydrate content that some people want during endurance exercise.[3][6][7]
A few practical takeaways:
- Choose water for everyday hydration, desk work, walking, or short easy workouts.[4][5][6][7]
- Choose an electrolyte packet for long workouts, heat exposure, salty sweaters, or dehydration from illness.[3][4][5]
- Don’t overdo it: too much sodium or potassium can be harmful, especially if you have kidney disease, high blood pressure, or other medical conditions.[4][7]
If you want, I can also tell you when salt water is enough vs when a packet is worth the money in a simple decision chart.