What are electrolytes?

The term electrolyte refers to the electrical nature of certain minerals when placed in water. In the body, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and chloride are the primary electrolytes. Their electrical nature is a big part of why they are so important. Muscles and nerves function using the electrical (chemical) interaction of these electrolytes. For example, calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium are required for muscles to contract and then relax. If any of these is deficient, then muscles either become weak or do not relax appropriately.

Some Key Functions of Electrolytes¹ (in addition to maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance)

How electrolytes get depleted

Most people know that electrolytes are depleted when we sweat extensively or have an unpleasant bout of diarrhea or vomiting. Other ways electrolytes can be depleted include poor diet, drinking too much water, prolonged exercise and/or over-exercising, exercising in the heat, a low carb/keto diet, hot flashes/night sweats, shifts in altitude, use of diuretics, and alcohol- or illness-related fluid losses. Some illnesses in particular seem to lead to electrolyte imbalances (or are made potentially worse by an imbalance already present). For example, the severity of COVID-19 has been linked to electrolyte imbalances.^{2 3} Some medications, including those for cancer, can lead to imbalances as well. Some signs that might indicate an electrolyte imbalance include weakness, tiredness, confusion, and muscle twitching or cramping.

How to replenish electrolytes

Ideally, one’s diet should supply the best balance of these electrolytes. Most Americans get plenty of sodium (and therefore chloride, since they come together in salt), but we’re falling woefully short on our other electrolytes, with 52% of Americans not getting adequate magnesium, 44% not getting adequate calcium, and almost no one getting adequate potassium.⁴ Use the following chart when considering how you might improve your diet to get more electrolytes.

*Based on the Institute of Medicine’s Recommended Daily Allowance and Adequate Intake levels. These levels are widely considered to be the bare minimum and lower than what is considered “optimal.” For instance, some experts recommend between 3,000 and 5,000 mg of sodium a day for optimal health.⁵

Alongside a nutrient-dense diet, use of electrolyte drinks and supplements can support optimal intake of electrolytes. It is important to read labels—there are some commonly consumed products that are referred to as “thirst quenchers” that do not contain any electrolytes. Electrolyte supplements come in powders, capsules, liquids, gummies, and gels, making them a great option to ensure electrolytes are replenished during training sessions or competitions or for those on the go. When choosing an electrolyte supplement, look for one with a good amount of potassium (100-250 mg) and magnesium (100-250 mg). The amount of sodium in supplemental electrolytes can vary widely; if you already get a lot of sodium in your diet you can choose a product with lower amounts (25-50mg), but if you eat a diet comprised mainly of whole foods with minimal sodium from processed foods, getting a little more sodium in your electrolyte supplement is probably a good idea (500+ mg). Coconut water, aloe vera juice, and celery juice provide natural electrolyte drink options as well.  

Sodium and Blood Pressure

When dealing with high blood pressure, doctors will often suggest a low sodium diet. It has been shown that reducing sodium in the diet can have a slight benefit on blood pressure, but the American Heart Association says that increasing potassium can reduce hypertension by 17% and increase life span significantly.⁶ Sodium is essential to life. While still controversial, some research indicates that an ultra-low sodium diet may be linked to a reduced life expectancy.⁷ So, balancing sodium and potassium might be a strategy to try before beginning a salt reduction diet. For most people this means increasing potassium. For more information check out Salt's Convoluted History and the Real Salt Science and Hypertension, the Silent Killer.

References

1. Minerals. Linus Pauling Institute. (2016, October 5). https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals 
2. Yasari, F., Akbarian, M., Abedini, A. et al. The role of electrolyte imbalances in predicting the severity of COVID-19 in the hospitalized patients: a cross-sectional study. Sci Rep 12, 14732 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-19264-8  https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-19264-8
3. Deepa A Malieckal, Nupur N Uppal, Jia H Ng, Kenar D Jhaveri, Jamie S Hirsch, the Northwell Nephrology COVID-19 Research Consortium, Electrolyte abnormalities in patients hospitalized with COVID-19, Clinical Kidney Journal, Volume 14, Issue 6, June 2021, Pages 1704–1707, https://doi.org/10.1093/ckj/sfab060
4. Drajem V.J. (2017,  Nov). Micronutrient inadequacies in the US population: an overview. Linus Pauling Institute. Retrieved from https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/micronutrient-inadequacies/overview
5. DiNicolantonio J. The Salt Fix; Why the Experts Got It All Wrong—and How Eating More Might Save Your Life. 2017. New York. Harmony.
6. Véronique L. Roger, MD, MPH, FAHA, et.al. Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics—2012 Update on behalf of the American Heart Association Statistics Committee and Stroke Statistics Subcommittee Circulation Volume 125, Issue 1, 15 December 2011; Pages e2-e220 https://doi.org/10.1161/CIR.0b013e31823ac046  
7. Messerli FH, Hofstetter L, Syrogiannouli L, Rexhaj E, Siontis GCM, Seiler C, Bangalore S. Sodium intake, life expectancy, and all-cause mortality. Eur Heart J. 2021 Jun 1;42(21):2103-2112. DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehaa947