The Unseen ‘Power’ of Electrolytes

by | Aug 17, 2022 | Affiliates, Article, Articles, Get Well Stay Well, Healing

Often overlooked and misunderstood, electrolytes (a term given to certain minerals) are as important for the body as water; they are essential for life and maintain electrical neutrality in cells by generating and conducting (electrical) potentials in the nerves and muscles.

Some of their major roles include:

  • Conduction of heartbeat & contraction of the heart
  • Dilation and contraction of blood vessels
  • Conduction of nerve impulses
  • Contraction of muscles
  • Filtration of the kidneys & correct water balance
  • Gastrointestinal movement
  • Maintaining pH levels (avoiding a too acidic balance)
  • Move nutrients into cells
  • Move wastes out of cells

We must be mindful never to ‘run low’ on these essential elements, especially during periods of hot weather and when we enjoy a more active & sporting lifestyle.

 

Causes of Electrolyte Imbalance

Low Intake
Perhaps the No.1 reason for an imbalance is a diet lacking in the required minerals & nutrients
Fluid Losses
Exposure to a hot climate, prolonged exercise (perspiration) diarrhoea & vomiting
Certain Medications

Diuretics are a known & common cause of loss of electrolytes in the stool & urine

Kidney Disease
As the kidneys play a large role in the management of electrolyte levels, any problems with the kidneys can affect their balance
High acidity in the blood
The body will try and compensate for acidosis creating further imbalances. While on this point, we must take care to avoid foods/drinks which are acid-forming and/or low pH
Reverse Osmosis & Distilled Water
Consuming too much ‘pure’ water can lead to both minerals and other nutrients being stripped from the body. While we must remain hydrated, some water (especially reverse osmosis) can leach minerals and other nutrients from the body (calcium is the one at most risk). It is therefore advisable to ensure you re-mineralise any highly filtered water.
The key, essential electrolytes are sodium (not table salt), calcium, potassium, chloride, carbon, phosphorus and magnesium. We should get these from the foods we eat and (hopefully) in the fluids we drink, but in many cases, we do need to supplement.

The levels of electrolytes in our bodies can become too low or too high, which can happen when the amount of water in our body changes. The amount of water that we take in should equal the amount we lose and if something upsets this balance, we may have too little water (dehydration) or too much water (overhydration). Some medicines, vomiting, diarrhoea, sweating, and liver or kidney problems can all upset our water balance and therefore electrolyte (mineral) balance.

Electrolytes are essential because they are what our cells (especially nerve, heart and muscle) use to maintain voltages across their cell membranes and to carry electrical impulses (nerve impulses, muscle contractions) across themselves and to other cells. Our kidneys work to keep the electrolyte concentrations in our blood constant despite changes in the body.

For example, when we work hard or exercise heavily, we lose electrolytes in our sweat, particularly sodium and potassium. These electrolytes must be replaced to keep the electrolyte concentrations of our body fluids constant. So, this is why we find many sports drinks with sodium chloride or potassium chloride added to them – but be warned sodium chloride (table salt) & potassium chloride are both ‘metallic’ minerals and although they will provide limited benefit, they are not truly bioavailable, ‘food state’ minerals.

Our testimonial file continues to grow with positive feedback from those who enjoy outdoor sports (most notably running and cycling) with the most common benefits being those of ‘not feeling drained’ and no more muscle ‘tiredness’.

Source: Simply Naturals
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