What is the Deal With Electrolytes, Anyway?

Within the comedic, dystopian movie Idiocracy, set in 2505, all water in the US has been changed with a Gatorade-like drink referred to as Brawndo: The Thirst Mutilator. They even water the crops with Brawndo as a result of Brawndo supposedly “has what crops crave”: electrolytes. 

Properly, changing plain H20 (which, in Idiocracy, is simply utilized in bathrooms) with Brawndo kills the crops, threatening the way forward for humanity. Fortunately, a man from the previous (performed by Luke Wilson) convinces individuals residing sooner or later to start out watering their crops with “bathroom water” as a substitute of Brawndo and thus saves society from collapse. 

Whereas Idiocracy is satire, if you happen to stroll down the drink part of your close by comfort retailer, you would possibly get the impression that we’re on the trail to considering each residing creature wants extra electrolytes and changing all of our fluids with people who embody them. There are rows and rows of drinks boasting concerning the quantity of electrolytes they comprise and the way they’ll quench your thirst. Tweens throughout America are clamoring for his or her dad and mom to purchase them Prime, an electrolyte drink made by YouTube-provocateur-turned-professional-wrestler Logan Paul. 

However will we really need all these electrolyte-infused drinks? Do they increase your well being and athletic efficiency? 

To resolve these questions, I talked to Dr. Robert Kenefick, a scientist who has spent his profession researching hydration and electrolytes and even labored for the U.S. Military to assist discover methods to maintain troopers wholesome and hydrated on the battlefield. He additionally heads the analysis division at Entrinsic Bioscience, which research and develops electrolyte dietary supplements. 

Right here’s what I realized from Dr. Kenefick. 

What Are Electrolytes and Why Are They Important?

Electrolytes are minerals that carry {an electrical} cost when dissolved in water. They play a vital function in sustaining correct bodily features. A number of the important electrolytes embody sodium, potassium, magnesium, chloride, and phosphate. These minerals regulate fluid steadiness, help nerve and muscle perform, and facilitate metabolic processes.

Dr. Kenefick mentioned that probably the most vital function electrolytes — significantly sodium — play once you’re sweating bullets helps you keep fluids so that you don’t get dehydrated. “Wherever sodium goes, water follows,” Dr. Kenefick instructed me. “So in case you have sodium in a beverage, you’ll retain the water to a better diploma than the identical quantity of water over a time frame in comparison with once you don’t.” 

How Do You Lose Electrolytes?

We lose electrolytes primarily by means of 4 bodily excretions: sweat, pee, poop, and vomit. 

The quantity of electrolytes you lose by way of sweat will depend upon components like surroundings temperature, train depth, and your sweat charge. Some individuals are likely to excrete extra electrolytes of their sweat than others. That simply comes all the way down to genetics. You may inform if you happen to’re an enormous electrolyte excreter by taking a look at darkish exercise garments after your sweat has dried; if you happen to see some white streaks, that signifies you’ve let off lots of minerals. 

Dr. Kenefick instructed me the largest method individuals lose electrolytes is after they get sick and vomit and have lots of diarrhea, noting that “You truly lose much more electrolytes by means of diarrhea than you do by means of sweat.” Younger kids lose lots of electrolytes after they get a abdomen bug and have fluids popping out of each ends, which is why medical doctors usually suggest that folks give their youngsters an electrolyte beverage after they’re sick.

Can You Develop an Electrolyte Deficiency?

The massive promoting level of electrolyte drinks is that they can assist you replenish an electrolyte deficiency.

However Dr. Kenefick identified that electrolyte imbalances don’t occur all that a lot besides in excessive circumstances like the place you’re throwing up and vomiting from an sickness or exercising day after day in sizzling climate. 

“The physique does an excellent job of sustaining electrolyte balances with out you having to do a lot,” Dr. Kenefick defined. “For instance, potassium may be very tightly regulated within the physique. Your kidneys know when to carry on to potassium as a substitute of excreting it and when to excrete extra as a substitute of maintain on to it.” 

Furthermore, you’re in all probability getting all of the electrolytes you want from consuming. Electrolytes are so strongly related to sports activities drinks as of late, you may virtually overlook that the identical minerals you get from Gatorade are present in meals, too.

“If in case you have a comparatively regular American weight loss program, you’re going to get the electrolytes you want out of your meals to be wholesome,” Dr. Kenefick mentioned. “It’s simply in excessive conditions the place you’re doing lots of strenuous train day after day after day within the warmth or once you’re actually sick that imbalances would possibly happen.” That’s as a result of an everyday weight loss program isn’t adequate to compensate for the electrolytes misplaced in these circumstances.  

What Occurs When You Run Low on Electrolytes?

So let’s say you sweat bullets for a number of days in a row and have low electrolytes. What’s going to occur to you?

It’s your capability to retain fluids that will probably be most affected. “The first factor we’re nervous about relating to electrolytes is that they assist your physique keep hydrated,” Dr. Kenefick mentioned. “In the event you don’t have sufficient electrolytes, your physique goes to have a tougher time conserving the fluids it wants for regular functioning.” Dehydration can result in a lack of power and stamina and to warmth exhaustion. 

Over the long run, dropping lots of electrolytes can depart you depleted within the minerals that not solely assist you hydrate, but additionally carry out different health-facilitating features within the physique.

Does Having Excessive Ranges of Electrolytes Enhance Athletic Efficiency? 

Possibly. We do know that enough hydration is important for athletic efficiency. In case your muscle mass aren’t hydrated, you’re going to really feel sluggish. A 2007 overview article means that insufficient hydration can cut back power by roughly 2%, energy by about 3%, and high-intensity endurance by as much as 10%. 

A number of research have proven that athletes who eat an electrolyte + carbohydrate beverage carry out higher than those that hydrate with water. However these research are restricted. In some cases, the distinction in efficiency wasn’t statistically vital. It appears like the largest efficiency increase from ingesting an electrolyte beverage comes if you happen to’re dehydrated. In the event you’re already well-hydrated earlier than an athletic occasion, ingesting a sports activities drink might be not going to enhance your efficiency. 

You’ll have additionally heard that electrolytes stop muscle cramping — is that true?

Researchers nonetheless aren’t certain what causes muscle cramping. A number of research have proven that ingesting an electrolyte complement can assist preserve your muscle mass hydrated and thus cut back the chance of cramping, however that proof is restricted. It’d assist; it may not.

So Do I Must Take An Electrolyte Complement?

In the event you’ve learn the whole lot above, you recognize the reply might be no.

As Dr. Kenefick instructed me a number of instances, electrolyte supplementation is simply obligatory in excessive circumstances. In the event you or your child is sick and are dropping lots of fluids, ingesting an electrolyte complement could be helpful for rehydrating. It will even be helpful if you happen to’re doing lots of strenuous train or working day in and day trip within the warmth.

In the event you’re simply lifting weights indoors or operating a couple of miles each different day, you in all probability don’t have to take an electrolyte complement. Your common weight loss program and water consumption will possible be adequate to provide the electrolytes and fluids you’ll want to keep wholesome and hydrated. While you eat sports activities drinks in these circumstances, you’re in all probability simply peeing out the electrolytes — you’re pissing away your cash.

Can You O.D. on Electrolytes?

Dr. Kenefick famous {that a} rising concern that has give you the proliferation of electrolyte dietary supplements is individuals overdosing on them.

“For probably the most half, your kidneys do a superb job dealing with extra electrolyte consumption,” Dr. Kenefick instructed me. “Your physique has sure hormones that inform the kidneys to eliminate extra electrolytes that it doesn’t want.” 

He did say, nonetheless, that individuals with hypertension should be cautious with ingesting electrolyte dietary supplements as a result of they’ll improve their sodium ranges.

What’s the Finest Type of Electrolyte Beverage? 

Alright. So let’s say you end up in a circumstance the place consuming a sports activities drink or electrolyte complement could be helpful. What’s the perfect form to take?

Dr. Kenefick recommends searching for one that mixes electrolytes with glucose; sugar is necessary for the optimum absorption of electrolytes. As Dr. Kenefick defined, “Glucose is a sodium cotransporter. When glucose goes by means of the intestinal wall, it pulls sodium with it. And as I mentioned earlier, the place sodium goes, water goes with it. So a glucose plus electrolyte beverage is actually good at serving to you hydrate.”

With that mentioned, you’ve bought to watch out with this. “Pedialyte places method an excessive amount of glucose of their drinks. They’re principally sugar bombs,” Dr. Kenefick mentioned. “Yeah, the sugar helps make the salty-tasting electrolytes go down simpler, but it surely’s in all probability method an excessive amount of sugar.”

What’s extra, in some cases, glucose can truly stimulate your intestine to not take up vitamins like electrolytes, which is why Dr. Kenefick is engaged on creating an electrolyte complement that makes use of amino acids to hold sodium and water to the physique: “You keep away from the problem of glucose getting in the way in which of absorption, and also you don’t have to fret about ingesting extra sugar. The usage of amino acids in electrolyte dietary supplements is the subsequent revolution in hydration science.”

Earlier than that revolution arrives, search for an electrolyte beverage that has a bit of however not lots of glucose — round 13 grams.

What ought to the electrolyte make-up of that beverage or complement appear like? 

Dr. Kenefick famous that again within the Fifties, scientists thought a rehydration beverage ought to have the identical focus of electrolytes as you lose in your sweat. “These electrolyte ranges had been too excessive. You didn’t want that a lot, and it simply resulted in a nasty-tasting drink,” he mentioned. 

The WHO has a advice for the perfect composition of a rehydration drink:

• Sodium chloride: 2.6 grams
• Trisodium citrate: 2.9 grams
• Potassium chloride: 1.5 grams

“Many of the well-liked electrolyte drinks available on the market have greater than this, “Dr. Kenefick noticed. “Once more, it gained’t damage you to drink an electrolyte beverage with greater than the WHO advice, but it surely in all probability gained’t do a lot for you both.”

Backside Line

Electrolytes are necessary for lots of bodily features. They play a key function in conserving you hydrated. However except you’re sick and dropping fluids or doing lots of bodily exercise within the warmth, you in all probability don’t have to eat electrolyte-fortified drinks.

And also you positively shouldn’t water your tomato crops with them.