Hydration & Electrolytes
by Michael Davis in Uncategorised
Staying hydrated is one of the most important things we can do to keep ourselves mentally and physically well. Yet so many of us tend to forget to drink water regularly and end up dehydrating ourselves, leaving us feeling unwell. Some symptoms of dehydration include:
- Headaches
- Feeling thirsty
- Muscle cramping (especially during exercise)
- Feeling tired
Drinking enough water throughout the day can help us feel better both physically and mentally. It can help us feel energised, improve our physical performance, and support various bodily functions such as digestion.
You can get an rough estimation of your hydration levels by checking the colour of your urine. If it’s darker then it could indicate you are dehydrated. A light yellow is usually a good sign of being well hydrated.
Most of us wait until feeling thirsty before drinking any water. So it’s important to drink regularly throughout the day to avoid this.
As important as drinking plenty water is, sometimes it isn’t enough. You can still experience the symptoms of dehydration such as muscle cramps and fatigue, even though you have been drinking loads of water. This can happen especially during lengthy exercise sessions in hot environments.
As you sweat you lose something called electrolytes. Electrolytes are minerals that carry an electric charge when dissolved in water. Sodium chloride (salt) is the most abundant one found in sweat. The more you sweat, the more sodium (salt) is lost from your body. Equally important are potassium, calcium and magnesium. These are lost in lesser amounts through sweat.
The importance of electrolytes?
Electrolytes play a crucial role in many bodily functions, such as regulating hydration, nerve signalling, muscle function, and maintaining pH balance. For example, sodium helps your body retain water, potassium helps with muscle contractions, and magnesium helps to maintain normal nerve and muscle function.
When should you take electrolytes as a supplement?
Most people can get all the electrolytes they need from a balanced and varied diet, there are however some circumstances where you may need to supplement.
As a general rule, anytime you sweat a lot, or exercise for an hour or more, it’s recommended that you add electrolytes to water. These can be taken before, during or after strenuous bouts of exercise. If you are sick and vomiting a lot and/or you have diarrhea, drinking electrolytes can help.
What other ways can you get electrolytes?
We can obtain electrolytes by consuming foods. For example bananas and coconut water both contain potassium, and salty foods will provide us with sodium.
If you’re doing high-intensity or prolonged exercise, sports drinks or electrolyte powders/tablets may be more effective as they help replace both fluid and electrolytes quickly.
Please be mindful that if you are drinking sports drinks there may be added sugars. So if you are looking for a lower calorie option then basic electrolyte powders will be better for you.
Where can you buy them?
You can find these supplements online or on most fitness store’s shelves. They will contain guidelines for when and how much you should take.
As mentioned earlier about sugar in sports drinks, don’t forget to check the ingredients. Look for a product that contains at least sodium and potassium as these are the main electrolytes lost in sweat and urine.