I Added a Pinch of Salt to My Water Every Day for 30 Days and Here's What Happened

Did it really make me more hydrated? Here’s what I thought.

Reviewed by Dietitian Emily Lachtrupp, M.S., RD

These days, hydration is an accessory. It’s not uncommon to see someone carrying around their large Stanley tumbler—and they may not even be carrying plain old water. In fact, that trendy water bottle may be filled with a water “recipe” inspired by #WaterTok creators.

With such a huge focus on hydration right now, there’s also this social media-fueled idea that adding a pinch of salt to your water will make you even more hydrated while detoxing and cleansing your body at the same time. But is there any credibility to this claim?

Related: Why Drinking Water All Day Long Is Not the Best Way to Stay Hydrated

As a journalist who takes pride in debunking anything weird I see online, I decided to do a little experiment and try this trend myself. For 30 days, I added a pinch of salt (around 1/16 to 1/8 of a teaspoon) to my 40-ounce tumbler of water to see if I felt any different. I filled up in the morning before my workout and drank it until it was gone, typically around lunchtime. By the end of the challenge I found myself seeking answers from experts to confirm how I was feeling about it. Here’s what I found out about adding a pinch of salt to your water every day—and if it’s actually worth it.

What Happened When I Added a Pinch of Salt to My Water for 30 Days

I Didn’t Feel Any Different

Like almost every other weird health claim we see on social media, this claim that adding salt water to your body will boost your hydration didn’t actually do anything for me. After a week of adding salt to my water and not feeling any different, I decided to be patient. Halfway through I found myself frustrated when nothing changed, and by the time I hit day 30, I was annoyed that I just spent a month drinking salty water and experiencing none of these amazing hydrating benefits.

Defeated and a little bewildered, I turned to a few experts and asked lots of questions. Was drinking salt water for 30 days really hydrating me and maybe I just wasn’t noticing? Is there any scientific evidence proving this actually works, or is it a bunch of bull? Thankfully, their answers satisfied my queries and gave me better insight into why this claim even exists in the first place.

Turns Out, I Didn’t Need the Extra Electrolytes

The idea that salted water will help hydrate you comes from the science of electrolyte replenishment. Electrolytes work to balance the amount of water in your body as well as the body’s pH levels, among many other functions. If you’re not getting enough sodium—and other electrolytes like potassium, calcium and magnesium—then your body will experience dehydration.

Thing is, dehydration happens when your body loses more fluid than what you’re taking in. Most commonly, dehydration is possible after you sweat a lot or are sick and are losing fluids. Signs of dehydration include confusion, fainting, rapid heartbeat, breathing and—in the worst cases—shock. But for the average person like me who is not sweating a lot or sick? Extra electrolytes from nutrients like sodium aren’t necessary.

My Workout Didn’t Improve

If you’re exercising for longer than 90 minutes or spending hours in hot or humid weather, you can benefit from added electrolytes, says Amy Goodson, M.S., RD, a board-certified specialist in sports dietetics.

But you’ll probably need more than just a pinch of salt in those instances. “While this may help replenish electrolytes to some extent, it may not be sufficient for athletes engaged in prolonged or intense exercise, particularly if they're losing significant amounts of electrolytes through sweat,” says Goodson. Athletes, in particular, may need sports drinks or specialized electrolyte supplements—not just some slightly salty water.

However, my weekly routine involves lifting weights, going on an easy jog in the morning and heading to yoga. I am breaking a sweat regularly, but I’m not sweating enough to experience any symptoms of dehydration.

Goodson recommends drinking half your body weight in ounces of liquid, which includes tea and coffee. For me, I make a point of drinking my recommended amount of liquid every day. I challenge myself to finish at least one fill of my 40-ounce water bottle in the morning.

Salt Water Did Not Detox My Body

Along with dehydration, wellness gurus also claim that drinking salt water will help to detox and cleanse your body, especially if you add a squeeze of lemon to it. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with adding a squeeze of lemon to your water, it won’t detox your body.

The only thing that can truly detox your body from toxins and metabolize anything is your liver. The liver helps metabolize the nutrients you consume, such as food and medication, and distributes them to the parts of your body for proper functioning. Drinking water does help the liver remove those toxins, but it’s not like the added salt and lemon is doing the work. It’s the water that is key for keeping the liver functioning well. Again, given my normal water intake and functioning organs, it’s no wonder salt water didn’t do anything extra for me in that department.

I Did Consume More Sodium

Salt provides sodium, which is a mineral our body needs. However, getting ample sodium in the diet isn’t exactly a problem for most people. While the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends consuming under 2,300 milligrams of salt a day, the average American is actually consuming 3,400 milligrams. You don’t need to add more salt on top of this, says Huma Chaudhry, RD. “Most people are already getting enough sodium through their diet, so adding a pinch of salt to your water may be unnecessary for everyday life unless you are exposed to situations that can lead to dehydration,” she says. What’s more, drinking water will help flush out excess sodium in the body, so adding even more sodium to your water doesn’t exactly make sense.

Given I drink an adequate amount of water and consume sodium in my diet, it’s not necessary for me to add a pinch of salt to my H20, which is probably why I didn’t see results during this 30-day challenge.

The Bottom Line

While adding a pinch of salt to your water to keep yourself hydrated sounds like a simple solution, the science behind it is more nuanced. Salt provides sodium, which is an electrolyte that helps hydrate the body. However, if you’re already drinking adequate water and consuming sodium in your meals, you don’t need the extra salt in your water. Take it from my experience: There’s no need to drink salty water all day—and boy am I thankful for that.

EatingWell.com, April 2024

Read the original article on Eating Well.