When you hear the word electrolytes, what do you think of?
Most would think of fruit-flavoured neon-coloured sports drinks that are typically consumed by highly active (or very hungover) individuals that claim to boost recovery and physical performance.
However, getting the right amount of electrolytes in our body is crucial to keeping our internal environment functioning and balanced.
What are electrolytes?
Electrolytes are minerals or particles that carry a positive or negative electrical charge that are found in your blood, sweat and urine. These particles are vital for keeping specific processes functioning within the body.
The major electrolytes found in your body are:
- Sodium
- Potassium
- Chloride
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Phosphate
- Bicarbonate
Electrolytes help to regulate hydration, our nerves, help our muscles contract (including our heart) and maintain the correct internal pH balance.
Disturbances in electrolyte balance can occur due to heavy exercise, dehydration, sweat, extreme changes in diet, excessive environmental heat, vomiting or diarrhea – which is why we are commonly reminded to increase our fluid intake when sick or when it’s hot outside.
Typically, mild imbalances won’t show too many symptoms, however, strong imbalances can lead to many serious health issues, with symptoms such as:
- Headaches
- Confusion
- Fatigue
- Irregular heartbeat
- Muscle weakness and cramping
- Numbness and tingling
So, what do you need to do to make sure you’re getting enough electrolytes?
Increasing your diet with foods rich in whole foods containing sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium is a great starting point. However, supplementing high-quality electrolytes is a great way to replenish your body with these vital minerals.
You may find while shopping for electrolytes that many products may contain the correct ratio of potassium to sodium (2:1) but tend to miss the correct balance of bicarbonates, chlorides and sulphates while being jam-packed with unnecessary sugars and flavourings.
This is where full-spectrum mineral electrolytes like Bare Mineral Hydration come in handy.
Bare Mineral Hydration contains a balanced formula of sodium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, chlorides and bicarbonates that matches the body’s natural electrolyte balance.
This can help with producing some pretty incredible health benefits – without the blood sugar spike that comes with convenience store sports drinks (that also tend to lack these very essential minerals).
