Needless to say, a lot of marketing dollars are spent telling us to consume more electrolytes, in the hopes that people will blindly go out and buy drink X,Y or Z. The problem with this, in my opinion, is that people do this without truly knowing why, if at all, it is important for their health.

And without truly understanding the benefits behind any nutritional push, it is also hard to differentiate whether you are actually getting those benefits or just consuming sugary empty calories to look cool.

What are electrolytes?

Simply put, electrolytes are minerals that are naturally found in food that are essential to hydration, our nervous system function and muscle health. These minerals include potassium, sodium, magnesium and calcium among others. These minerals aid in balancing the body’s pH levels, the delicate balance of alkalinity and acidity that is necessary for healthy living.

How do you lose electrolytes?

Your body naturally sheds electrolytes when it loses bodily fluids – eg through sweat, urine, saliva, diarrhea or vomiting. Most commonly, people associate potentially low electrolyte levels with extreme exercise, which is true since when you sweat, you excrete high levels of electrolytes.

When your body is depleted of electrolytes or the ratios of electrolytes to each other are out of balance, you may experience excessive fatigue, headaches, nausea, muscle cramps and blood pressure changes. In other words your body makes it very clear there’s an imbalance going on and it needs addressing, pronto!

How do you replenish electrolytes?

You may maintain and replenish your electrolyte levels naturally by consuming electrolyte-rich whole foods such as:

Potassium: Bananas, salmon, white beans, avocados, beets, milk, carrots

Calcium: Trout, milk, spinach, kale, bok choy, hard cheeses

Magnesium: Cashews, brown rice, pumpkin seeds, almonds, leafy greens

Sodium: Dill pickles, table salt, cheese, cured meats

You can also purchase sports drinks or electrolyte packs to add to water to quickly replenish your electrolyte levels.

One problem with these drinks is they are often filled with high levels of sugar or artificial sweeteners while not containing enough electrolytes. (Read the labels!) So while the marketing gurus of the world are selling the belief they are essential for your recovery, in reality, the average person will achieve the same amount of hydration and recovery by simply drinking water and eating a healthy diet.

There are times when reaching for a premade electrolyte drink or packet is necessary. When actually performing extreme workouts, eg longer than 1 hour with profuse sweating (especially in hot or humid conditions), studies have shown that using a high concentration electrolyte packet prior to and after work out does, in fact, help the body retain fluids during the workout and aids in the recovery post-workout. The key is to research and use only packets that are high in electrolytes and low in sugar.

When researching for this post, I came across list after list of “the best electrolyte packs” on the market. Here is a sampling of the lists I found. I urge you all to do your own research on this before determining which ones are best for you.

Health.com: https://www.health.com/best-electrolyte-drinks-8619874

New York Magazine: https://nymag.com/strategist/article/best-electrolyte-powders.html

Shape: https://www.shape.com/best-electrolyte-powders-7963956

As you can see, when you flip through those lists, the number of options are almost overwhelming. And the consensus as to which one(s) are the best is…. varied.

One last thing… alcohol.

As a lover of wine and the good life, I would be remiss to omit mentioning the effects of drinking alcohol on body electrolytes.

Most people who have drank a little too much alcohol here and there will concur that alcohol is a diuretic, meaning that it causes you to urinate more often while, and directly after drinking. As a result, you are more often than not, dehydrated after a night out on the town. And most people will associate this with a headache and general malaise.

One way to combat this hungover feeling is to obviously not overdo alcohol consumption and to continue drinking water before, during and after a night out, but also to have your final nightcap be a rehydration, electrolyte-rich glass of fluid. You have many choices to choose from!

To our health!