We all know that it’s important to drink water to stay hydrated. But what a lot of people miss out on is the other half of what keeps you hydrated.
Wait, is there more to hydration than just water? Yes, there is!
So, what does the other half of hydration involve? Electrolytes.
Electrolytes are minerals in your blood and other bodily fluids. Believe it or not, they play a big role in making sure your body is properly hydrated. They do this by helping your body absorb water and balance fluid retention.
This can be especially important when it's hot outside and you’re sweating a lot too. For this reason and more, electrolyte supplements have become a popular way to get in more electrolytes.
But, what exactly are electrolyte supplements and how do they help? Plus, what are the best electrolyte supplements?
All of this and more, I'm here to discuss with you today!
What Are Electrolyte Supplements?
Electrolyte supplements are simply what they sound like. They’re typically powders filled with minerals that help regulate the electrolyte balance in our body.
Many people drink sports drinks to get their electrolytes. Compared to sports drinks, though, electrolyte supplements can have far more of these essential minerals.
There are seven total essential electrolytes in the body. These are the minerals sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, bicarbonate, chloride, and phosphate.
Okay, bicarbonate isn’t technically a mineral, but it is an electrolyte!
Since these electrolytes are essential, we have to get them through food and supplements. In other words, your body can't make these minerals on its own.
For that reason, electrolyte supplements can be a great way to make sure you're getting these minerals to stay hydrated and perform at your best.
But, what are the specific benefits that electrolyte supplements have to offer?
Benefits of Electrolyte Supplements
There are many benefits that can come along with using electrolyte supplements.
The minerals in these supplements can help your muscles, heart, and nervous system function their best.
Let’s take a closer look at what some of these benefits can be.
Electrolytes Can Help Support Nerve Function
When we talk about nerve function, we are talking about your nervous system. This includes your brain, your spinal cord, and your nerves.
Your brain sends electrical signals to different cells in your body. These cells receive these signals and carry out different functions in your body in response (1).
These electrical signals are called nerve impulses. In a way, they're like messages that your brain sends throughout your body to tell it what to do.
You may be wondering ... Well, how do electrolytes help with this?
Calcium, for one, can actually help support nerve pulse transmission (8). On the other hand, magnesium can help with neurotransmitter release (8).
Sodium and potassium play huge roles here too! These electrolytes together act like a chemical battery powering every nerve impulse we have (11). Without them, we wouldn’t be able to move or do anything.
So what does that mean for you?
It means that sodium, potassium, and calcium help your body respond to the environment. For example, if you touch a hot stove, nerve pulse transmission will tell you to take your hand off the stove.
It also means magnesium can help your body release signals that impact your mood and stress response. This could help you feel healthier and happier overall.
Electrolytes Can Help Support Muscle Function
Electrolytes in general can help support proper muscle function as well. They can do this in many ways too.
For example, calcium can support healthy muscle contractions. At the same time, the electrolyte magnesium can support muscle relaxation.
Now, on top of that, sodium can play a key role in regulating your body’s fluid balance. This can help your body transport water to the areas it's needed most. This can help with muscle health, cushioning the joints, and can even help you avoid muscle cramps (3).
If you’ve ever had muscle cramps or spasms, it definitely could’ve been from an electrolyte or fluid imbalance.
That's exactly why electrolyte supplements can be so helpful. By maintaining proper hydration and electrolyte balance, your muscles can feel and perform better than ever!
Electrolytes Can Help Support Healthy pH Levels
pH levels are exactly what you learned about in science class. They are a reference point for how acidic or basic a substance or solution is.
Your body actually wants to maintain a specific pH range too! Walking around town on any given day, your body wants to sit between 7.35 and 7.45 pH (3).
Why is this important, you ask? Because the pH balance in your body affects things like your metabolism, hormones, and the overall function of your body.
In order to maintain this healthy pH level, the right balance of electrolytes can be essential.
Electrolytes can help your body to deliver oxygen and regulate the thickness of your blood which can both influence healthy pH levels (4).
For just one example, oxygen delivery helps your body produce ATP. ATP provides energy to drive and support every function in your body. So oxygen delivery helps your body function.
In addition to that, regulating the thickness of your blood can help prevent blood clots when it’s too thick. At the same time, it can help prevent excessive bleeding when it’s too thin.
Can I Get Electrolytes Without Supplements?
So, can you get electrolytes without supplements? Yes, you can get them from whole food sources.
You can also get them from sea salt. Regular table salt isn’t the same, and only gives you sodium and chloride without the others. So if you’re salting your food for the electrolytes, go for sea salt or pink himalayan salt.
Leafy green vegetables, fruits, and dairy products can all be great sources of electrolytes too.
While it is possible to get enough electrolytes from your food alone, very few people get the right balance of them.
In fact, around 75% of adults are chronically dehydrated (9).
That's why electrolyte supplements can be a great way to get the electrolytes your body needs. They’re simple, easy, and convenient. Plus, they don’t always taste super salty like over-salting your food can.
What Should I Look For In An Electrolyte Supplement?
Finding an electrolyte supplement with all of the essential electrolytes is best! This will just ensure that your body can get what it wants and needs. However, there are three electrolytes I recommend you look for in particular:
• Sodium
• Chloride
• Potassium
The reason these three are what you want to look for is because they are the most important electrolytes (10).
So how much of each of these do you want? Here's what I'd recommend...
• Sodium: 3-5 g/day (5)
• Chloride: 3.1 g/day (6)
• Potassium: Males - 3.4 g/day & Females - 2.6 g/day (7)
Now, these are all recommended ranges for the average adult. If you are someone who sweats, works out, or is active more than average, your body may require more.
This is because active people tend to lose more electrolytes through activity and sweat. This happens because electrolytes are used for muscle contraction and can leave the body through sweat.
When Should I Take Electrolyte Supplements?
The best part about electrolyte supplements is that you can take them at any time of the day! Personally, I’ll take them during longer workouts and when I’ve been running around working up a sweat.
Now, I will warn you that some of the powders are made with caffeine … So be aware of that if you plan to take them later in the day.
You may also be wondering, "Can I take electrolyte supplements every day?" The answer is yes!
For most people, I would encourage it.
If it's hot and humid outside, if you do a lot of endurance training, or if you're looking to improve your health overall ... Then electrolyte supplements definitely could be beneficial for you.
As I mentioned above … When you sweat and when your muscles are active, your body is naturally going to be depleting electrolytes.
Stay Hydrated with an Electrolyte Supplement
So, where can you find a good electrolyte supplement? Don't worry - I've got the perfect recommendation.
At 1st Phorm, we're a company that is founded on quality and measured on your results. That's why I'm confident in saying our Hydration Sticks can be a great option for you!
Each serving comes equipped with magnesium, sodium, chloride, and potassium to support proper electrolyte balance and hydration.
Plus, our Hydration Sticks come in delicious flavors. The strawberry flavor is my favorite, and It's nice to be able to carry a stick pack with me when I need it during workouts or throughout the day!
But if you have any additional questions, just know we’re here to help!
We have a full team of NASM Certified Personal Trainers and Nutrition Coaches right here in St. Louis, Missouri who are happy to help out. Just give us a call at 1-800-409-9732 or send us an email at CustomerService@1stPhorm.com any day from 6 AM to 10 PM Central.
References:
(1) Shrimanker, Isha. and Sandeep Bhattarai. “Electrolytes.” StatPearls, StatPearls Publishing, 24 July 2023.
(2) Souza, Ana Carolina Remondi et al. “The Integral Role of Magnesium in Muscle Integrity and Aging: A Comprehensive Review.” Nutrients vol. 15,24 5127. 16 Dec. 2023, doi:10.3390/nu15245127.
(3) Hopkins E, Sanvictores T, Sharma S. Physiology, Acid Base Balance. [Updated 2022 Sep 12]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507807.
(4) Weidman, Joseph et al. “Effect of electrolyzed high-pH alkaline water on blood viscosity in healthy adults.” Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition vol. 13 45. 28 Nov. 2016, doi:10.1186/s12970-016-0153-8.
(5) Mente, Andrew et al. “Sodium Intake and Health: What Should We Recommend Based on the Current Evidence?.” Nutrients vol. 13,9 3232. 16 Sep. 2021, doi:10.3390/nu13093232.
(6) EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA); Turck D, Castenmiller J, de Henauw S, Hirsch-Ernst KI, Kearney J, Knutsen HK, Maciuk A, Mangelsdorf I, McArdle HJ, Pelaez C, Pentieva K, Siani A, Thies F, Tsabouri S, Vinceti M, Aggett P, Fairweather-Tait S, Martin A, Przyrembel H, de Sesmaisons-Lecarré A, Naska A. Dietary reference values for chloride. EFSA J. 2019 Sep 4;17(9):e05779. doi: 10.2903/j.efsa.2019.5779. PMID: 32626426; PMCID: PMC7009052.
(7) Hoy, M. Katherine, et al. “Potassium Intake of the U.S. Population: What We Eat in America, NHANES 2017-2018.” FSRG Dietary Data Briefs, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), September 2022.
(8) Shrimanker I, Bhattarai S. Electrolytes. [Updated 2023 Jul 24]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK541123.
(9) Taylor K, Jones EB. Adult Dehydration. [Updated 2022 Oct 3]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555956/
(10) Terry, J. “The major electrolytes: sodium, potassium, and chloride.” Journal of intravenous nursing : the official publication of the Intravenous Nurses Society vol. 17,5 (1994): 240-7.
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