The weather is heating up, and that means we are too. Whether you're pounding the pavement in a run club, making up for lost time with an Aperol spritz or five, or simply exploring new areas on vacation, the heat and the dehydration can certainly get to you. That's when many people turn to electrolytes—you know, those electrically charged substances that help your body stay hydrated. Basically, they're pretty important if you want your body to function at its best (or at all), but more on that later.

However, next time you're feeling like you're sweating out a little too much of the good stuff and want to supplement your body with one of the many electrolyte drinks or powders on the market, it's important not to overdo it. Because you can, in fact, overdose on electrolytes.

Electrolytes are minerals that play a crucial role in hydration, muscle function, and nerve signaling, explains Robin Barrie Kaiden, M.S., R.D., C.D.N., C.S.S.D. These include sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and chloride. "We lose electrolytes daily—through sweat, urine, and breathing," Kaiden tells Delish. The more we sweat, the more important it is to replace what was lost. "Too little electrolytes can lead to dehydration, muscle cramping, extreme fatigue, dizziness, or dangerous imbalances in severe cases," Kaiden explains. However, too many electrolytes can cause just as big a problem as too few. "Drinking too many electrolytes can lead to electrolyte imbalances, which can have serious consequences," explains Amy Brownstein, M.S., R.D.N. While overdoses rarely occur from ingesting electrolytes from food sources, excessive consumption of concentrated supplements or electrolyte drinks can lead to these imbalances.