If you sweat a lot, especially during sports or high-intensity workouts, drinks made with electrolyte powder are helpful for hydration and replacing lost fluids and electrolytes. Most people can get all the electrolytes they require from a diet that is rich in whole foods such as fruits and vegetables.
Water
The human body is approximately 60% water, so it makes sense that nearly every fluid and cell in your body contains electrolytes. Electrolytes are minerals that carry an electrical charge and they are vital for many key functions, including how your muscles work, keeping you hydrated and maintaining proper blood pH levels. You lose electrolytes through sweating and you need to replace them by drinking fluids with electrolytes.
If you exercise for more than an hour in humid or hot conditions, you may require an electrolyte beverage to replace the electrolytes and fluids lost through sweat. People with certain health conditions that cause them to lose large amounts of fluids or have trouble absorbing them, also may find an electrolyte drink helpful.
Electrolyte drinks typically contain a mix of sugar, salt and electrolytes in specific proportions. The sugar is important to provide energy for exercise, and it helps the body absorb the salt from the drink.
Some electrolyte-replacement drinks contain other vitamins and nutrients as well. However, the main purpose of these drinks is to boost your hydration levels and electrolyte level by providing the perfect amount of each mineral. This will help you maintain healthy cells and a healthy system. Ideally, you should get your electrolytes from whole foods and unsweetened beverages, rather than from electrolyte-replacement drinks that tend to be high in sugar.
There are several commercial electrolyte drinks available. You can make your own, but there are also many options that you can buy. The best ones don’t contain added sugar and should have the right balance of essential minerals for optimal hydration.
Potassium
Potassium is one of the essential electrolytes needed for healthy body functions. It works with sodium to maintain normal fluid levels inside and outside of cells, move nutrients across cell membranes, and regulate blood pressure. It is also involved in maintaining a normal heartbeat, muscle function and nervous transmission.
Potassium comes from a variety of sources in food and is widely available as a dietary supplement. Potassium can be found in fruits, vegetables, dairy, fish, and meats. Most people can get enough potassium through their diet, but some may need more depending on their health and whether they are taking diuretics or other medicines.
The most abundant electrolyte in the body, potassium is required for many cellular functions, including nerve and muscle function, maintaining proper heart rhythm, supporting a normal heartbeat, regulating blood pressure, balancing water levels, and preventing potassium deficiency (hypokalemia). A potassium level too low can cause weakness, tingling or burning of the lips and skin. It can also be dangerous if left untreated.
As potassium is involved in the body’s acid-base balance, it can affect other mineral levels. A potassium, magnesium, and calcium imbalance can cause hypokalemia or hypermagnesemia. This can cause serious consequences including a loss of energy and appetite. It is caused by gastrointestinal disorders such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), certain medications such a proton-pump inhibitors, or prolonged use antacids.
Sodium
It is an electrolyte that helps the body maintain fluid equilibrium. It also helps cells to absorb nutrients. It is the most common ion found in the human body. It can also be found in saltwater and in a wide variety of natural and synthetic foods. It is a group 1 metal with the chemical name Na. It is the sixth most abundant element in the earth’s crust and is found in minerals including feldspars, sodalite and halite (NaCl). Rainfall and river water have leached the element into seawater for eons.
To function properly, the body needs a balance of electrolytes and sodium. Imbalances may cause health problems, such as fatigue, headaches, nausea, muscle cramps, heart arrhythmias (rhythmic heartbeats), changing blood pressure, numbness in the fingers and toes, and irritability. An electrolyte imbalance can be identified with a simple urine or blood test and treated with supplements, medications and, in severe cases, IV fluids.
Electrolyte concentrations vary throughout the day, depending on the activity, the food and drink consumed, and other factors. Electrolytes can be lost in sweat by some people during exercise or diarrhea. This imbalance must be corrected. These substances are regulated by the kidneys and hormones.
Chloride
Like sodium, chloride is a negatively charged electrolyte in the body’s fluids. It is the second most important contributor to plasma tonicity. It plays an important role in regulating fluids and electrolytes, maintaining electrical neutrality, and preserving acid-base status. Chloride is involved in supporting digestion as part of hydrochloric acid (HCl) and helps regulate blood pressure by helping the body maintain its natural pH levels.
It is also an important component of sweat, which helps the body to cool itself when overheated. This is because the salt in your sweat (which is a combination of sodium and chlorine) acts to absorb the excess water produced by the body. This balancing act is crucial to the way your body works, as high or low chloride levels can lead to a variety of symptoms.
The key to understanding electrolyte levels is knowing that certain elements can naturally hold either a positive or negative charge, and when they are dissolved in liquids like water or blood, those charges cancel out and the liquid conducts electricity. Salt water is a good example of a liquid that conducts electricity. This is because the sodium atoms (positively and negatively charged) separate from eachother and link up with the other positive and negative ions.
