However, a balanced diet that includes sources of electrolytes should suffice for most. Some people drink electrolyte water or supplement with electrolytes like sodium and calcium to ensure they get enough. Should You Supplement Your Diet With Electrolytes? However, the sodium consumed through your diet is normally enough to cover any losses. You lose water and electrolytes, particularly sodium, when you sweat. However, certain populations, such as endurance athletes who are exercising for more than two hours or those who exercise in extreme heat, may want to consider drinking electrolyte-enriched sports drinks to replace their losses ( 27).įor everyone else, getting the normal amount of sodium from foods and drinking water to remain hydrated is enough. Since around 90% of American adults consume way more than this, most people don’t need to replace sodium lost from sweat ( 26). In the US, the maximum recommended intake for sodium is 2,300 mg per day - which is equivalent to 6 grams or 1 teaspoon of table salt ( 25). It’s estimated that sweat contains about 40–60 mmol of sodium per liter on average ( 22).īut the actual amount of electrolytes lost through sweat can vary from person to person ( 23, 24). When you sweat, you lose both water and electrolytes, especially sodium and chloride.Īs a result, long periods of exercise or activity, particularly in the heat, can cause significant electrolyte loss. Severe imbalances can interfere with the way your body functions.ĭo You Need More Electrolytes If You Sweat a Lot? SummaryĮlectrolyte imbalances most commonly occur when people are severely dehydrated due to vomiting, diarrhea or excessive sweating. If you suspect you have an electrolyte imbalance, be sure to discuss your symptoms with your doctor. However, more severe imbalances can cause symptoms like ( 20, 21): If you have a mild electrolyte disturbance, you probably won’t experience any symptoms. Some illnesses, including kidney disease, eating disorders and injuries like severe burns, can cause electrolyte imbalances as well ( 16, 17, 18, 19). This is why you should be mindful of replacing any lost fluids when it’s hot or when you’re sick ( 15). In some circumstances, electrolyte levels in your blood can become too high or low, causing an imbalance ( 11, 12, 13).ĭisturbances in electrolytes can have a harmful effect on your health and can even be fatal in rare cases ( 14).Įlectrolyte imbalances often occur due to dehydration caused by excess heat, vomiting or diarrhea. They also ensure that your body’s internal environment is optimal by keeping you hydrated and helping regulate your internal pH.Įlectrolyte Imbalances Are Bad for Your Health SummaryĮlectrolytes are essential for keeping your nervous system and muscles functioning. Having the right balance of electrolytes is fundamental to maintaining your blood pH level ( 10). If it deviates from this, your body can’t function properly, and you become unwell. In your body, it’s regulated by chemical buffers, or weak acids and bases, which help minimize changes in your internal environment.įor example, your blood is regulated to stay at a pH of around 7.35 to 7.45. PH is a measure of how acidic or alkaline a solution is. To stay healthy, your body needs to regulate its internal pH ( 10). This prevents cells from bursting from being too full or shriveling up due to dehydration ( 9). Osmosis is a process where water moves through the wall of a cell membrane from a dilute solution (more water and fewer electrolytes) toward a more concentrated solution (less water and more electrolytes). Water must be kept in the right amounts both inside and outside each cell in your body ( 8).Įlectrolytes, particularly sodium, help maintain fluid balance through osmosis. Magnesium is also required in this process so that the muscle fibers can slide outward and muscles can relax after contraction. It allows muscle fibers to slide together and move over each other as the muscle shortens and contracts. The electrolyte calcium is needed for muscle contraction ( 7). When this happens, it sets off a chain reaction, moving more sodium ions (and the change in charge) along the length of the nerve cell axon. The changes occur due to the movement of the electrolyte sodium across the nerve cell membrane. These signals are called nervous impulses, and they’re generated by changes to the electrical charge of the nerve cell membrane ( 6). Your brain sends electrical signals through your nerve cells to communicate with the cells throughout your body. Electrolytes are crucial to keeping your nervous system and muscles functioning and your internal environment balanced.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |