Electrolytes are an important part of your diet and their levels in your body are carefully regulated. Consuming high levels of any electrolyte, such as sodium or potassium, can cause serious health problems known as electrolyte imbalances. If you are concerned about the amount of electrolytes you get from your diet, talk to your doctor.
Identification
Electrolytes are minerals, such as sodium and potassium, which have an electrical charge when they are dissolved in your blood and other fluids. Electrolytes help regulate the amount of fluid in different parts of your body, such as your blood. Your cells also use electrolytes to generate and maintain electrical charges. The amount of electrolytes in your body depends on how much you consume and how much is excreted by your kidneys.
Hyperkalemia
If you consume too much potassium, you can develop a condition known as hyperkalemia. Hyperkalemia is diagnosed based on the levels of potassium in your blood; a level above 4.8 meq/L of blood is higher than normal and a level above 6.0 is a serious medical problem. Symptoms of hyperkalemia include nausea, muscle weakness, fatigue and an irregular heartbeat.
Hypernatremia
Too much sodium in your diet can cause an electrolyte imbalance known as hypernatremia. Blood sodium levels greater than 145 meq/L of blood are indicative of hypernatremia. Mild cases of hypernatremia may cause no overt symptoms, though the extra sodium can cause increased blood pressure. Some symptoms of this imbalance are sudden changes in your bowel movements, poor appetite, nausea, weakness and shortness of breath.
Treatment
If you consume too much of any electrolyte, your doctor may administer fluids to help lower the concentration of the electrolyte in your blood. Because your kidneys can usually excrete excess electrolytes, consuming too many electrolytes will often only cause health problems if you have an underlying kidney problem. Treatment involves changing your diet to prevent future electrolyte imbalances and treatment to gradually reduce blood electrolyte levels.
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