Electrolytes are electrically charged minerals that circulate in our body. These electrical signals are vital to reflexes such as muscle contraction as well as various functions of cells within our body.
As you lose electrolytes with dehydration, reflexes and cellular activities can slow down. Electrolytes are generally held in a balance by a variety of mechanisms in the body, with kidneys being the primary regulators.
Electrolyte imbalance can happen if the loss of electrolytes is higher and quicker than their rate of replenishment. At times, changes in the body water can lead to significant electrolyte imbalances. Symptoms of electrolyte imbalance can strike quickly leading to significant problems.
Causes of electrolyte imbalance
A few of the common causes of electrolyte imbalance include:
What are the symptoms of electrolyte imbalance?
Most commonly, electrolyte imbalances are mixed- e.g. a low potassium level can commonly lead to a magnesium deficiency. Similarly, a loss of sodium due to a diuretic is accompanied by a low potassium as well.
Thus, symptoms of electrolyte imbalance typically are due to a loss of a combination of electrolytes but generally, are related to a change in the levels of sodium, potassium and magnesium in healthy individuals.
At times, changes in phosphorus or calcium can lead to significant symptoms of electrolyte imbalance, particularly in individuals with certain medical conditions.
Some of the common symptoms include:
What are the ways to test for electrolyte imbalance?
If symptoms of electrolyte imbalance are felt, correcting electrolyte deficiencies can significantly minimize them.
If symptoms are severe such as confusion, a diagnostic test using a blood chemistry can be performed at a clinical laboratory. These can assess the level of any of the common electrolytes that can be deficient.
In most cases, symptoms of electrolyte imbalance are mild/moderate and improve with rehydration and laboratory testing may not be routinely required.
A simple “bedside” test by assessing the skin turgor or examining an individual’s tongue can indicate if he/she has lost a significant amount of fluid. Generally, a loss of fluid (as manifested by a dry tongue) is associated with loss of electrolytes and treatment for dehydration must begin immediately.
How to prevent electrolyte imbalance?
The best way to prevent electrolyte imbalance is by preventing it from happening. This requires replacement of electrolytes and fluids through proper hydration techniques.
Electrolytes can also be replenished via a balanced meal plan. This strategy is important particularly during the recovery phase and helps prevent chronic electrolyte deficiencies that can lead to long term symptoms.
Hydration during exercise or during occupational exposure is the best and quickest way to prevent electrolyte imbalance. However, hydrating purely with water can worsen electrolyte deficiencies at times, particularly that of sodium.
Hydrating with an electrolyte powder such as MAGNAK® can help replace the lost water deficit as well as correct the electrolyte imbalance. While many electrolyte waters focus mainly on replacing sodium and potassium, MAGNAK’s Endurance Mix formulation also replaces magnesium which is frequently overlooked.
