If you live in the UAE, you know the feeling. You walk from the car park to the office in August and arrive damp. You drink water all day and still get a headache by four. Water helps. It just isn't the whole answer.
When you sweat, you lose salt as well as water. Sweat is mostly water, but it carries sodium, chloride and potassium, plus smaller amounts of magnesium and calcium. The amount varies a lot between people. Some lose a few hundred milligrams of sodium per litre of sweat. Heavy, salty sweaters can lose well over a gram. If you only replace the water, you top up the fluid without the minerals your body uses to hold on to it.
That's the job of an electrolyte drink. The shelf is crowded, though, and much of what's on it was built for a marathon, not a working day in Dubai. These are the things we check before we stock one.
1. Check the sodium first
Sodium is the electrolyte you lose most in sweat, so it matters most. Some "hydration waters" carry so little that they're closer to flavoured water. Compare the sodium per serving on the label.
More is not always better. Very high-sodium mixes, 1,000 mg and up per serving, are made for long endurance sessions in the heat. For a normal day, a moderate dose you're happy to drink every morning does more good than a salty one you give up on after a week.
2. Look for all six electrolytes
The six main electrolytes are sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, chloride and phosphate. Cheaper tablets often stop at sodium and potassium. That's fine as a quick fix after a run. For something you take daily, a fuller formula covers more of what you lose.
3. Decide how you feel about sugar
Classic sports drinks use sugar for two reasons. It helps your gut absorb sodium and water faster, and it gives you fuel during long exercise. Two hours into a bike ride, that's useful. At a desk, it's a soft drink with salt in it.
Sugar-free mixes use stevia, monk fruit or sucralose instead. If you plan to drink one every day, sugar-free is the sensible default. Keep the sugary ones for long training sessions.
4. Read the rest of the label
Look for caffeine. Some "energy hydration" products contain it, which is a problem if you reach for one at 6 pm. Check for artificial colours, and see whether the product is batch tested. Informed Sport certification means every batch is tested for substances banned in sport. That matters if you compete, and it's a fair sign of quality control if you don't.
5. Pick a format that fits your day
Single-serve sachets go in a gym bag, a car door or a desk drawer. Tubs cost less per serving but tend to stay in the kitchen. Tablets fizz and dissolve quickly, though they usually carry fewer minerals. Think about where you'll be when you need it, and buy for that.
How much do you need?
For most people on a normal UAE day, one serving is plenty. Take it in the morning or after time outdoors. On days with training, outdoor work or a long flight, a second serving makes sense.
One caution. If you have kidney disease or high blood pressure, or your doctor has put you on a low-salt diet, ask them before adding electrolytes to your routine.
What we stock
At PERCUP we carry Humantra, a brand founded in Dubai in 2022. Each sachet has all six main electrolytes plus vitamin C, vitamin B12 and zinc, with no sugar and no caffeine. It's Informed Sport certified and comes in six flavours.
If you don't like sweet drinks, start with Himalayan Lime. Mango is the closest to juice, and Lychee is the lightest for sipping all day. You can see the full range in our electrolytes and hydration collection.
This article is general information, not medical advice.
