• Nutrition
• Hydration

What are Electrolytes and Why Do We Need Them?

Have you ever wondered what helps your muscles move or how your heart keeps its steady rhythm? 

Part of that is because of electrolytes — essential minerals that ensure your body’s electrical systems work smoothly.

An electrolyte imbalance can make basic bodily functions more difficult and may lead to serious health complications.

In this article, we’ll explore what electrolytes are, how they work, and why they’re so essential for your overall health. 

What are Electrolytes?

Electrolytes are minerals that occur naturally in the body and carry an electrical charge. They enable the body to perform bodily functions that are necessary for survival. 

Key minerals your body needs to function include:

• Sodium 

• Potassium

• Bicarbonate

• Chloride

• Calcium

• Magnesium

• Phosphate 

In the nervous system, nerve cells — or neurons — rely on electrolytes like sodium, potassium, calcium, and chloride to transmit electrical signals from the brain to the muscles to enable muscle contractions.

How do electrolytes work?

Similar to magnets, electrolytes can be either positively or negatively charged. This allows them to either attract or repel each other. This charge interaction promotes the movement of electrolytes throughout the body as they follow opposite charges. 

Electrolytes like sodium can carry water with them as they move. This is one of the reasons why high sodium intake can increase blood pressure. 

Sodium helps maintain fluid balance and transport nutrients through osmosis — a process where water moves from high to low concentrations.

Electrolytes, with their electrical and osmotic properties, perform essential tasks that keep our bodies functioning properly.

What are the Benefits of Electrolytes in the Body?

Electrolytes work together in the body to carry out muscle, nerve, and heart functions. A person with too many electrolytes in their system may experience as many health complications as someone with an electrolyte deficiency. Your kidneys will typically remove excess electrolytes. 

Consult your healthcare provider if you are looking for ways to increase your electrolyte intake. Listed below are some common electrolytes and their benefits:

Sodium benefits

Sodium is essential for maintaining fluid balance, regulating blood pressure, and helping with nerve function. 

Most American diets have an excess of sodium. The average American consumes 3,400 milligrams (mg) of sodium per day. Globally, sodium intake is around 4,310 mg daily. This is over a thousand mg above the FDA recommended amount of less than 2,300 mg.

The body only needs around 200-500 mg of sodium per day. Processed foods, cheese, and cured meats have high levels of sodium.

Potassium benefits

Potassium helps regulate nerve impulses, support muscle contractions, and maintain heart function. 

It also plays a role in managing other electrolytes and keeping the blood pH balance (the acidity or alkalinity of the blood) stable.

Foods rich in potassium include:

• Potatoes

• Broccoli

• Bananas

• Legumes

Calcium benefits

Calcium is essential for strong teeth and good bone health. It also helps with muscle movement and sending signals between nerves and the muscles.

Some common sources of calcium include: 

• Milk

• Yogurt

• Cheese

• Sardines

• Salmon

• Kale

• Broccoli 

In hospitals, calcium — in the form of calcium gluconate — is often used to protect the heart in patients with dangerously high potassium levels.

Magnesium benefits

Magnesium is a vital mineral that supports nerve, muscle, and heart function. It also influences the management of blood levels of calcium and potassium.

In clinical settings, magnesium is used to treat life-threatening conditions, such as severe asthma, eclampsia (seizures caused by high blood pressure during pregnancy), and types of heart arrhythmias. 

Chloride benefits

Chloride is a key electrolyte that helps maintain electrolyte balance in the body. It contributes to pH regulation. The state of your pH levels is a crucial component of producing stomach acid for digestion and balancing other electrolyte levels in the body.

Sodium chloride in table salt is a common way to consume chloride in your diet.

How are Electrolyte Imbalances Diagnosed?

Electrolyte imbalances are diagnosed through a blood test. Your healthcare provider may suspect an electrolyte imbalance based on your medical history, symptoms, medication use, or electrocardiogram (EKG) results. 

In emergencies, a blood gas test can provide electrolyte levels within minutes.

What are the types of electrolyte imbalances?

Based on your test results, you may be diagnosed with one or more of the following:

• Hyponatremia: Low sodium levels

• Hypernatremia: High sodium levels

• Hypokalaemia: Low potassium levels

• Hyperkalaemia: High potassium levels

• Hypomagnesemia: Low magnesium levels

• Hypermagnesemia: High magnesium levels

• Hypocalcaemia: Low calcium levels

• Hypercalcaemia: High calcium levels

These types of imbalances generally have overlapping symptoms, making diagnosis challenging without proper testing.

Symptoms of electrolyte imbalance

Symptoms of electrolyte imbalances can vary depending on which electrolytes are affected and how severe the imbalance is. Common symptoms include:

• Muscle cramps or spasms

• Fatigue or muscle weakness

• Headaches

• Confusion or disorientation

• Irregular heartbeat or palpitations

• Nausea or vomiting

• Tingling or numbness

• Dizziness or lightheadedness

• Shortness of breath

• Seizures

• Changes in blood pressure

• Swelling or fluid retention

• Dehydration or excessive thirst

How Can You Treat Electrolyte Imbalances?

Treating electrolyte imbalances involves addressing the underlying cause and restoring normal electrolyte levels. A licensed healthcare provider can decide on the best course of treatment.

Electrolyte replacement therapy

Electrolyte imbalances are typically treated using oral supplements when a deficiency is not causing severe or life-threatening symptoms. This method is the safest way to replenish electrolytes and restore balance. 

However, if electrolyte levels become critically low, faster replenishment is needed. A healthcare provider may require intravenous (IV) replacement under careful monitoring. Adjusting electrolyte levels using IV is a high-risk procedure often used in severe cases.

Electrolyte supplements and drinks

Electrolyte supplements and sports drinks can help replenish lost electrolytes when there is a clear cause of electrolyte loss and no signs of deficiency.

Be sure to exercise caution when consuming sports drinks due to their high sugar content.

Situations where it may be beneficial to consume electrolyte drinks include:

• Engaging in intense physical activity: After intense physical activity, drinking an electrolyte-rich beverage may help restore hydration from sodium, chloride, and water you lose through sweat

• Caring for someone with diarrhea: Electrolyte beverages can help when you have diarrhea. Diarrhea causes the body to lose sodium, potassium, chloride, and bicarbonate. However, formulated oral rehydration solutions are more effective for rehydration in these cases.

• Restoring hydration after vomiting: Drinking electrolyte drinks or taking supplements can help restore hydration after vomiting.

Natural sources of electrolytes

For most people, a healthy, well-balanced diet provides sufficient electrolytes. The kidneys play a crucial role in maintaining electrolyte balance by eliminating excess amounts and conserving those that the body needs. 

However, athletes and individuals prone to excessive sweating are often advised not to rely solely on pure water, as this can lead to hyponatremia or low blood sodium. 

Since sodium and water are lost through sweat, both should be replenished. Many foods contain sodium which can help restore electrolytes.

Natural sources of hydration like coconut water can be a useful option for replenishing sodium and fluids.

How Do I Monitor My Electrolyte Levels?

There’s no way to monitor your electrolyte levels at home, but a healthcare provider can through different tests.

Your body is remarkably efficient at regulating and maintaining electrolyte and fluid balance within very narrow ranges. Even if your urine appears highly concentrated, your sodium and other electrolyte levels are likely still normal. 

Unless you are showing symptoms of an electrolyte imbalance, it is unlikely that your healthcare provider will recommend an electrolyte blood test during a routine health check-up.

What is an electrolyte panel?

An electrolyte panel is a test typically performed if you are taking medication known to affect electrolyte levels or if your healthcare provider suspects an imbalance. 

It involves a blood test that measures common electrolytes — including sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphate. 

Doctors may also request additional tests, such as urea and creatinine, to assess kidney function if there are concerns about an electrolyte imbalance.

When Should You See a Doctor About Electrolyte Imbalances?

Initially, you might not realize you have an electrolyte imbalance. Those at risk are usually already under a doctor’s care and are informed about routine follow-ups and what to expect. 

People with kidney disease or those taking certain medications —  like antihypertensives (drugs that treat high blood pressure) or steroids — may require more frequent assessments.

Where Can You Learn More About Maintaining Proper Electrolyte Intake?

If you suspect you have an electrolyte imbalance, LifeMD can connect you with a licensed healthcare provider who can offer guidance and prescribe medications for your needs.

Schedule your appointment today to learn more about your opt

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