Electrolytes 101

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Published on Sunday, 28 April 2013 14:05

Written by Tim Roberts, MP Competitor, Pharmafreak Athlete

For a lot of us, taking our workouts to an intense level means a lot of sweating. Without getting too scientific, I would like to briefly explain a little about the importance of Electrolytes and their role in keeping you hydrated properly and performing at your best.

Electrolyte is a "medical/scientific" term for salts, specifically once broken into its ions. The term "electrolyte" means that this ion is electrically-charged and moves to either a negative (cathode) or positive (anode) electrode:

Ions that move to the cathode (cations) are positively charged

Ions that move to the anode (anions) are negatively charged

For example, your body fluids - blood, plasma, interstitial fluid (fluid between cells) - are like sea water in that they have a high concentration of sodium chloride (table salt). The electrolytes in sodium chloride are:

sodium ion (Na+) - cation

chloride ion (Cl-) - anion

As for your body, the major electrolytes are as follows. This would be important to know for most runners, fighters or endurance athletes. 

- sodium 

- potassium 

- chloride 

- calcium 

- magnesium 

- bicarbonate 

- phosphate 

- sulfate 

If nothing else, you should simply be aware that Electrolytes are important because they are necessary for your cells (especially nerve, heart and muscle) to function properly. Electrolytes are needed to keep your body's hydration level in a safe zone. For example, when you exercise heavily, you lose electrolytes in your sweat, particularly sodium and potassium. These electrolytes must be replaced to keep the electrolyte concentrations of your body fluids constant. To meet this need, many sports drinks have sodium chloride or potassium chloride added to them. 

Here are some great examples of a few a handheld drinks that will hydrate you the best!

- 100% Pure Coconut Water

- Regular or Zero Cal Gatorade

- Electrolyte Infused Water  

As you’re hydrating, be sure to keep a close eye on the sugars and artificial sweeteners as they can debunk any well thought out diet if taken in in excess.

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