Damn lucky I've been somehow drinking exactly the right amount of stuff so that I haven't died yet

That's why I only drink units of whole blood. On average, the under-hydrated and over-hydrated people that contributed to that unit cancel each other out, so I know I'm always working towards optimal cell hydration. Never to much or too little.

Technically potassium is a salt too.

Once I heard neurons described as "salty bananas" because of their concentrations of K+, Na+, and Cl- ions.

Therefore, Gatorade is made of neurons.

Gatorade doesn't, that's Brawndo.

Powerade has about 50% more electrolytes AKA salts than Gatorade does.

But that's also part of the trick. It's not just sodium chloride. The potassium is monopotassium phosphate, a salt. Sea water is 3.5% salt and almost all of it is sodium chloride. Gatorade is only about .25% salt. Sea water has 14x the amount of salt as Gatorade

When they start an IV line, they use 'normal saline' [0.9% NaCl] and not pure water.

Salt helps you retain water long enough to absorb it

But it’s what people crave!!