Electrolytes are an important element of hydration that many people overlook. Learn when you need to replace electrolytes and what they do in the body.
The word ‘electrolyte’ is thrown around a lot, but what exactly does it mean and how does it pertain to fitness?
Electrolytes are the minerals in your body that play a crucial role in hydration and cellular function. The most notable electrolytes are sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium.
All sports drinks contain electrolytes, but you’ve probably heard that sports drinks are “bad for you”. The conversation surrounding electrolytes in sports is confusing, and you may wonder if you really need them to succeed at your sport.
In this article, we’ll discuss what electrolytes do inside the body, how often you need to drink electrolytes, and whether or not you can get them through food.
What are electrolytes?
Quite simply, electrolytes are minerals that have an electrical charge and play a central role in many bodily functions, specifically fluid balance. The important electrolytes for athletes are sodium, magnesium, calcium and potassium.
Electrolytes are necessary for hydration, muscle contraction and blood pressure. Sodium and potassium are lost in sweat, and you need to replace them for hydration. Electrolytes help with fluid absorption during exercise.
The body tightly regulates its electrolyte balance. Certain electrolytes stay in the cell, while others live outside the cell. An electrolyte imbalance can cause fatigue, dehydration, cramping, weakness, tingling, or confusion–none of which are pleasant during your workout!
That’s why sports drinks always contain electrolytes– to replace those lost in sweat and help with fluid intake.
When do you need electrolytes?
You need to replenish electrolytes in these situations:
- during a workout that lasts longer than 60 minutes, and you are sweating during most of it
- during a workout in a hot and humid climate
- if you are a heavy sweater (you sweat through your clothes or have chalky white spots on your skin after exercise)
If you don’t replenish electrolytes, you may experience dehydration and fatigue and your performance will suffer.
You probably do not need to replace electrolytes during a workout that is less than 60 minutes. Just drink water during shorter workouts.
The same goes for a longer workout that doesn’t make you sweat much, such as strength training, walking or yoga. And of course, electrolytes do not need to be replenished on rest days. In these situations, water should be enough to keep you properly hydrated.
Do electrolytes help performance?
Taking in electrolytes when you don’t need them will not increase performance. However, consuming electrolytes during hot and humid workouts or long workouts can help you hydrate and perform better.
Since athletes lose electrolytes in sweat, having a negative electrolyte balance can negatively affect hydration status. Dehydration is associated with fatigue, increase perceptions of exertion and a decrease in performance. That’s why it’s important to replace any electrolytes that are lost during exercise.
How much electrolytes should you drink during a workout?
This is a question I get asked often… “If I’m sweating heavily during a workout, how many electrolytes do I need to take in to replace those lost in sweat?” Unfortunately, the answer is… it depends.
Some people may lose a pound of sweat when exercising in the heat for an hour, while others may sweat minimal amounts. And environment matters too. That’s why it’s nearly impossible to say how many electrolytes you need to replenish during a workout.
That said, you can calculate your sweat rate to determine fluid losses during a workout. This will help you determine how much fluid you need to take in during exercise.
Some estimates say that you lose 500 milligrams of sodium for every pound of sweat, but that is a VERY rough estimate. Pay attention to your body and how you feel rather than the exact measurement.
Look at the color of your urine to assess hydration status. If it’s pale yellow, you are properly hydrated. If it’s darker yellow, you’re dehydrated. You can also tell if you’re dehydrated if you get a headache, dizziness, extreme fatigue or muscle cramps during a workout.
What happens when your body is low on electrolytes?
If the body doesn’t have enough electrolytes, you may experience mild to severe side effects, including:
- fatigue
- headaches
- irritability
- nausea
- vomiting
- dehydration
- hyponatremia
- kidney issues
Hyponatremia is a severe condition in which the body does not have enough sodium. This occurs when people drink too much water and don’t have enough sodium stored in the body. It’s incredibly dangerous and can be life threatening.
While drinking water is extremely important, don’t overdo it. Drink small sips throughout your workout, rather than guzzling large amounts at once.
What a great, informative post! I always forget that tahini has calcium, bring on the hummus!
This is such a great resource for athletes!
Such great info!
This is amazing, I love the information
Thank you so much for reading!
It’s interesting that you mention that sports drinks with electrolytes in them are great for keeping you hydrated during athletic activity. I started playing competitive basketball once a week about a month ago, so I should probably purchase some sports drinks that have electrolytes soon. I’m going to search online for a good business that can sell me some electrolyte-containing sports drinks.