What are electrolytes? Who should take them and who shouldn’t

Learn about electrolytes, who could benefit from taking an electrolyte supplement, and who should be careful. Plus, nutritional therapist tips for choosing the right one.

As a nutritional therapist, I frequently get asked about electrolyte drinks and supplements. Before training to become an NT, I assumed electrolytes were only needed if you are taking part in a high-energy sport or have excess fluid loss because of illness.

Once I understood what electrolytes were, I quickly realised that there are many more people for whom increasing electrolytes would actually be beneficial.

What are electrolytes?

Electrolytes are minerals that, when dissolved in water or bodily fluids, become charged particles (ions). These charged particles help regulate fluid balance, support communication between cells, and maintain the body’s internal environment.

The key electrolytes found within the human body are:

• Sodium

• Potassium

• Chloride

• Magnesium

• Calcium

• Phosphate

• Bicarbonates

Who could benefit from increasing their electrolytes?

To maintain ideal electrolyte levels in the body, you need to balance intake (food, drink, supplements, inhalation, absorption through skin) with usage and excretion (sweat, urine, feces, exhalation). While we often think of athletes needing to pay particular attention to their electrolyte levels, anyone could feel the effects of an imbalance in one or more of their electrolytes.

For example, when stressed, the body will have an increased demand for magnesium. The body will prioritise vital organs and functions, leaving less of this important electrolyte available for other tasks, such as muscle relaxation. This could be felt as tight muscles and tension within the body, symptoms that many people who are stressed report. There are two ways to rebalance the body's magnesium levels in this situation: the first is to increase magnesium intake, and the second is to reduce stress. While it is important to concentrate on reducing stress (i.e. the root cause), it is not always possible to address it quickly, as that is where increasing intake to match the body's requirements to work optimally can be very beneficial.

Electrolytes are essential for everybody and mind, while some people will require higher levels of electrolytes that may require supplementation to meet the demand, it is important that everyone eats a balance diet to make sure they are getting all the electrolytes they need for everyday functions for the body and mind to thrive.

Would you like to learn more about how electrolytes can help support your health? Check out our online course 'Hydration and electrolytes: Are you drinking enough of the right things?'.

Symptoms of an electrolyte imbalance

Symptom severity experienced with an electrolyte imbalance in one or more electrolytes varies from mild discomfort to life-threatening. Life-threatening symptoms occur when someone takes an excessive amount of electrolytes (e.g. through supplementation overdose) or is losing an excessive amount of electrolytes (e.g. excess vomiting).

• Confusion

• Irritability

• Diarrhoea

• Constipation

• Fatigue

• Headaches

• Irregular or fast heart rate (arrhythmia).

• Muscle cramps

• Muscle spasms

• Muscle weakness

• Nausea

• Vomiting

• Numbness and tingling of the limbs, fingers, and toes.

Many of us experience symptoms of an electrolyte imbalance daily, such as a mild headache or fatigue. This is not life-threatening, but it can mean that we are underperforming or do not feel like we are thriving.

If you are frequently experiencing any of these symptoms, I highly recommend that you first speak to your primary health care provider (GP) and seek the support of a nutritional therapist. Check out our practitioner directory.

Who should be careful when taking electrolyte drinks or supplements?

As a naturopathic nutritional therapist, I truly believe that supplements should not be your first point of call for managing your electrolyte levels. The very first step should be to focus on what you are eating or drinking. You can learn all the essential knowledge you need through our online courses. Start with our free introductory course here. Once you have established the right water intake and a balanced diet, if you are still experiencing symptoms of an electrolyte imbalance, it is then that you can consider electrolyte drinks, powders, tablets, supplements, etc.

With electrolytes, it really is the case that you can have too much of a good thing. Many electrolytes work in balance with one another, e.g. potassium and sodium. Too much of one can offset the other. As electrolytes play a vital role in major systems within your body, it is very important that you keep them in balance—not too much and not too little. Wholefoods and drinks typically have the perfect ratio of electrolytes (nature knowns best) and it therefore can be more difficult overdose. While manmade electrolyte drinks and supplements contain higher levels, and poor quality, products may not be optimally balanced.

So who should be careful with electrolyte drinks and supplements? Because of what I said above, the answer is everyone. However, certain people need to pay even more attention than others. Because electrolytes directly influence fluid balance, blood pressure, nerve function, and heart rhythm, certain individuals should use caution or seek professional guidance before supplementing. For example, those with kidney, liver, or cardiovascular-related conditions. You should also check with your pharmacist for any contraindications if you are taking any medications, supplements, or herbal remedies. And finally, always stick to the recommended dose found on the product’s packaging, unless recommended by a healthcare practitioner.

What should you look for when choosing a supplement?

• Check that it contains the key electrolytes your body needs: sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and sometimes chloride and phosphate.

• Consider the mineral balance; too much sodium without potassium or magnesium may not be ideal for overall hydration. Each formula is designed for different levels of exercise intensities and it is important that you select the right requirements for you. Not sure, speak to a nutritional therapist. Check out our practitioner directory here.

• Is it bioavailable? Forms like magnesium citrate, magnesium glycinate, or potassium citrate are usually absorbed better than oxides. Avoid cheap, low-bioavailability forms that your body may not use efficiently.

• Check if it contains sugar. This can be useful for endurance sports, but avoid it if you are looking to use it for gentle exercise and daily health support.

• Avoid unnecessary artificial colours, flavours, or preservatives (e.g. aspartame, sucralose, acesulfame‑K, saccharin, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, sulfites, carrageenan and maltodextrin).

• Those with certain health conditions, taking certain medications, children, seniors, pregnant, breastfeeding, require Informed Sport compliant supplements, etc should all be extra careful when selecting an electrolyte supplement. Check out our list below for recommendations.

Our list of the best electrolyte supplements

Click here to view our post about the best electrolyte supplements for sports and health

Would you like to learn more about how electrolytes can help support your health? Check out our online course 'Hydration and electrolytes: Are you drinking enough of the right things?'.

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