Fluid Balance & Hydration: Water moves across cell membranes toward wherever the electrolyte concentration is highest (osmosis). Sodium largely controls the fluid outside our cells and potassium controls the fluid inside them. Sustaining proper balance is what keeps cells hydrated, while maintaining healthy blood pressure and volume.
Nerve Signaling: Nerve cells communicate by moving sodium and potassium in and out across their membranes, creating tiny electrical impulses. Without the proper levels, signals between the brain and body get disrupted.
Muscle Function: Muscles contract and relax using calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium. Calcium triggers contraction and magnesium helps the muscle relax again. This applies to the heart too, which is why electrolyte imbalances can cause irregular heart rhythms. It's also why low levels are linked to muscle cramps, spasms, twitches and weakness.
Other Roles:
- pH balance - bicarbonate and phosphate help keep our blood at the right alkalinity.
- Bones and teeth - calcium and phosphate are major structural components.
- Energy production - magnesium and phosphate are involved in making and using adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is our cells' energy currency.
- Blood clotting - calcium is required. Without adequate ionized calcium in our blood, our coagulation cascade essentially stalls.
Most whole foods contain electrolytes, so a varied diet often covers the bases. Supplementation or electrolyte powders added to water are essential when we're losing a lot of fluid through prolonged intense exercise, heavy sweating or illness. For an average day and typical workout, here's where we can get them naturally.
- Sodium - Quality salt is the main source. Others include cheese, olives, cured meats, coconut aminos, broth and fermented foods like pickles and sauerkraut.
- Potassium - Bananas are probably the most popular, but there are richer sources like potatoes (with skin), beans and lentils, spinach, avocados, tomatoes, oranges, coconut water, yogurt, salmon and dried fruit like apricots.
- Calcium - Whole milk, plain yogurt, raw cheese, sardines, salmon, kale, bok choy and almonds.
- Magnesium - Pumpkin seeds, almonds, cashews, spinach, black beans, whole grains, avocados, dark chocolate and bananas.
- Chloride - Often found in salt, as well as seaweed, olives, tomatoes, lettuce, celery and rye.
- Phosphate - Found in protein-rich foods like meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, beans and whole grains.
- Bicarbonate - Our body makes this itself, so we don't really get it from food. Fruits and vegetables do help indirectly because they have an alkalizing effect on the acid load our kidneys have to handle.
Signs Of Electrolyte Imbalance
These symptoms can overlap with other causes, so they point toward checking electrolyte levels rather than diagnosing.
- Low sodium - Headache, nausea, fatigue, muscle cramps, confusion. Common causes are drinking large amounts of plain water, heavy sweating or illness. Severe cases can cause seizures.
- High sodium - intense thirst, dry mouth, weakness, irritability, confusion. Usually from dehydration.
- Low potassium - muscle weakness, cramps, constipation, fatigue, heart palpitations.
- High potassium - often no symptoms until it's serious, then weakness and irregular heartbeat. Mostly a concern with kidney problems or certain medications.
- Low magnesium - twitching, cramps, fatigue and heart palpitations.
- Low calcium - Muscle spasms and tingling in fingers or around the mouth.
Alongside electrolytes, iodine is an essential trace mineral that aids the body in the following ways:
The Benefits of Iodine
- Supports a healthy thyroid - the thyroid needs iodine to produce the hormones that help regulate metabolism. Thyroid hormones influence how the body uses energy, including body temperature and heart rate.
- Boosts energy levels - iodine helps prevent the tiredness and sluggishness linked to an underactive thyroid.
- Prevents goiter - it keeps the thyroid from swelling due to deficiency.
- Promotes healthy growth and brain development, making it especially important during pregnancy and childhood.
- Enhances mental clarity - getting enough iodine helps avoid the brain fog and slowed thinking that come with low thyroid function.
- Supports healthy hair, skin and nails - thyroid hormones play a role in keeping them healthy, while iodine deficiency can cause thinning hair and dry skin.
- Iodine aids reproductive health - normal thyroid function is tied to regular cycles and fertility.
Since many health conscious people have moved away from iodized table salt, preferring natural unrefined salts instead, iodine is something we want to make sure we're getting enough of. As with electrolytes, too much iodine isn't good either. The recommended daily amount is about 150mcg. Since the body can't make iodine on its own, we need to add it through food or supplementation. The most common food sources are seafood, seaweed, yogurt, eggs, whole milk and raw cheese.
Electrolytes and iodine are small nutrients with big jobs. Electrolytes keep body fluids balanced and power nerves, cells, muscles and the heart, while iodine supplies the thyroid with what it needs to make hormones that regulate metabolism, growth, energy and brain development. Too little or too much of either one can cause issues, so as with most things in life, balance is the ultimate key to a healthy, thriving system.