You have electrolytes in your blood and other body fluids. Your body needs these minerals, which carry an electric charge, because they affect the amount of water in your body, your blood acidity and important bodily processes, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. You lose electrolytes when you sweat. You replace them by drinking fluids, according to the National Institutes of Health, or NIH. Not keeping your body in balance can have several consequences, some of which are severe.
Identification
Examples of electrolytes are calcium, sodium, magnesium and potassium, according to NIH. Your levels can be measured via laboratory studies of your blood.
Expert Insight
When you exercise for more than an hour, you need to replenish your electrolytes. "At that point in time, you start to see a little bit of a decrease in sodium and potassium. Replenishing is helpful," says David K. Spierer, assistant professor of sports sciences at New York's Long Island University, Brooklyn Campus.
Prevention/Solution
Staying hydrated while you exercise is important because becoming dehydrated leads to an imbalance in salt or other electrolytes in the body, according to NIH. Thirst during exercise is not a good indicator that you need to hydrate because by the time you feel thirsty you've already got a problem. "You're already dehydrated at that point," Spierer says.
You don't necessarily need a sports drink to replenish the electrolytes in your body. Water, Spierer says, usually works just as well, especially if it's ice cold because it'll empty from the stomach faster that way.
Effects
It is harder to exercise when your body doesn't have enough electrolytes. In fact, one sign of an electrolyte imbalance is fatigue. That's because not having a good balance of electrolytes in the body impairs muscle contraction, according to Spierer. Electrolyte imbalance often leads to large muscle cramps. You also may experience muscle spasms and weakness. Your body's nerve reactions and muscle function are dependent upon the proper exchange of electrolyte ions outside and inside cells. Flu-like symptoms can be another sign that your electrolyte balance is off. These include nausea, chills, goose bumps and headache.
Considerations
People who take medications with a diuretic effect need to be especially careful when exercising because the medicines rid the body of fluid constantly. "If you urinate enough, you'll pee out all of your electrolytes," Spierer says.
Warning
It's also important to be careful when you exercise in heat because your sweat output might outpace your water intake, leading to electrolyte losses and dehydration, advises Michael N. Sawka and Scott J. Montain in an August 2000 "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" article. In heat, you need to emphasize drinking water during meals and while exercising. Electrolyte supplementation is not usually needed but can help during the first few days when you are exposed to higher temperatures than you are used to, according to the authors. If you become dehydrated, you can quit sweating, advises Spierer. Your body then loses its ability to dissipate heat. You get dry, clammy skin. If your core temperature hits 105 degrees, you will have an altered mental status and need immediate medical attention.
References
- David K. Spierer; Sports Sciences Assistant Professor; Long Island University, Brooklyn Campus, New York
- Medline Plus: Electrolytes
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Electrolytes
- "Amer. Jour. Clinical Nutrition"; Fluid and Electrolyte Supplementation; Sawka, Montain; 2000
- Medline Plus: Dehydration
