Electrolytes: What Are They and Why Do You Need Them?
Electrolytes are charged ions in the body that help regulate fluid retention, muscle contractions, nerve function and energy maintenance.
They include sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, chloride, phosphate, and bicarbonate. Adequate electrolyte intake proves to be a convenient and effective approach to ensuring daily hydration, enhancing performance, and preventing the adverse effects of electrolyte imbalance. Keep reading to dive deeper into what makes electrolytes so important to your daily health and wellbeing.
1. Boost Hydration
Hydration is undeniably one of the most important practices we can maintain for our bodies, and electrolytes play a crucial role in preventing dehydration. When our bodies are adequately hydrated, it positively impacts cognitive functions, including memory and focus. Falling below optimal levels can result in symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, dizziness, and dry eyes. By prioritising hydration and incorporating electrolyte products for regulation, our concentration improves, our focus levels increase and we promote general alertness.
2. Enhance Physical Performance
Electrolyte products help to replenish the fluid and minerals we lose during exercise. When we exercise, we lose mass amounts of our electrolyte supply through this loss of fluids, and as a result, our body’s fatigue, our exertion decreases and our focus declines. Taking an electrolyte supplement during periods of exercise helps in regulating body fluids to promote the delivery of electrolytes around the body which aid to relieve fatigue and promote optimal performance.
3. Strengthen Immunity
Electrolyte supplements have an advantageous effect on the management of the immune system. Key electrolytes such as calcium, sodium and potassium help control immune signalling to protect cells from any infection that attempts to enter the body. Other electrolytes such as Magnesium play a crucial role in managing inflammation.
4. Reduce Stress & Anxiety
Did you know that water and hydration are directly linked to our levels of stress and anxiety? Well, it turns out that electrolytes play an even more effective role in managing these stressors. You see, when we become deficient in certain electrolytes, our mental health suffers. This comes as a result of the neurological symptoms we experience when our electrolyte levels fall below their optimum. And so, regular consumption of electrolyte supplements has been proven to help lower levels of stress hormones such as cortisol and contribute to a calmer overall mind.
5. Promote Quality Sleep
Consistent intake of electrolyte supplements is one of the lesser known ways to promote quality sleep. Electrolytes such as calcium and magnesium are known to promote the production of melatonin which in turn encourages deep rapid eye movement sleep. The nature of electrolytes to lower the effect of stress hormones also helps to keep the mind calm when it comes to bed time. Additionally, the effects of electrolytes on sleep ultimately mean that our bodies are more well rested, allowing us to perform better during the day without the hindrance of fatigue.
Don't compromise on your body's needs—choose Vitadrop for a convenient, tasty and effective way to replenish essential electrolytes and feel your best.