You've probably seen sports drinks and enhanced waters advertise they contain electrolytes, and you might wonder whether these can make you gain weight. "Electrolyte" is just a fancy word for a salt, and salts don't contain any calories, which means they won't lead to weight gain. However, this doesn't mean you can consume electrolytes safely to your heart's content.
Electrolytes
Electrolytes are ionic compounds, also called salts. An ionic compound is one in which atoms in a molecule have opposite charges -- at least one atom is positively charged, and at least one is negatively charged -- and they're held together by the attraction between unlike charged particles. The charged particles, called ions, separate from one another in water.
Uses of Electrolytes
The reason some drinks contain electrolytes is that your body needs many different salts to maintain normal function. One very common salt -- table salt -- contains both sodium and chloride ions. You need sodium to maintain fluid balance and assist in cellular communication. Chloride has roles in fluid balance, neural condition and production of stomach acid.
Body Fat
The reason electrolytes can't make you fat is they don't contain any calories. The macronutrient compounds -- energy-providing molecules that you need to consume in large quantities each day to provide for your cellular energy needs -- contain calories. These are proteins, carbohydrates and fats. You can store excess consumed fat as body fat, and can convert protein and carbohydrate into body fat. Salts are not macronutrients, and your body cannot convert them into fat.
Too Many Electrolytes
While too many electrolytes won't make you fat, it's not healthy to get too much salt. Some of the ions you'll find in electrolyte drinks aren't healthy in large quantities. Sodium is an especially important example; the American Heart Association explains that too much salt increases your risk of high blood pressure, which in turn increases your risk of heart attack and stroke. Talk to your doctor about your electrolyte consumption to ensure you're not getting too much sodium in your diet.
References
- "Chemistry: The Molecular Nature of Matter and Change"; Martin Silberberg, Ph.D.; 2008
- "Human Physiology"; Lauralee Sherwood, Ph.D.; 2004
- American Heart Association: Salt
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