What is the point of electrolytes?

scottaworley
scottaworley Posts: 871 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I think I can understand most nutrition and health concepts, but I never really got electrolytes. How important are they actually?

Replies

  • grimendale
    grimendale Posts: 2,153 Member
    http://www.livestrong.com/article/510757-importance-of-electrolytes/
  • OCTOBERLISA
    OCTOBERLISA Posts: 38 Member
    Very important!!!!
  • jsiricos
    jsiricos Posts: 340 Member
    You need them for heart health, muscles, hell, everything!
  • NaomiJFoster
    NaomiJFoster Posts: 1,450 Member
    If you want to avoid a heart attack, they're very important.
    If you want to avoid heat stroke, they're very important.
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
    You dont need to drink sports drinks to get it coconut water is one of the best sources
  • PepperWorm
    PepperWorm Posts: 1,206
    Drink Brawndo. It has electrolytes. It's what plants crave!
  • NaomiJFoster
    NaomiJFoster Posts: 1,450 Member
    Bananas, peaches, oranges, orange juice, apricots, nuts, and tons of other things are nicely high in potassium. Sodium is just everywhere, you probably don't need help finding that.
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    Electrolytes like sodium, potassium and calcium ions are needed to maintain the voltage imbalance across the membrane of cells, that enables muscles to function among other things. You need them for things like breathing and having a heartbeat.
  • bjt77
    bjt77 Posts: 1
    The Sodium, potassium, calcium balance is what maintains correct cellular balance, which helps the muscles work correctly. If they get out of balance muscles can cramp, tighten or lock up. One of the major muscles is the heart.
  • scottaworley
    scottaworley Posts: 871 Member
    That livestrong article was okay, but can anyone go in depth a little more about WHY they are important?
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
    Every cell in your body needs the proper amount of electrolytes to survive. As I recall (which may be faulty … cell biology was many years ago :tongue:) sodium and potassium are part of the mechanics of turning ADP to ATP, which then provides energy at the cellular level. Our bodies are quite good at maintaining the balance the cells need, and we start to feel ill long before things break down at the cellular level (usually).

    That said, most people probably get enough sodium through foods, and potassium isn't far behind. Unless you have a medical issue, or are working out in the heat or for long amounts of time (athletes, etc) you don't need to drink those electrolyte drinks. (Summer outdoor activities probably are best with a balance of water and electrolyte drinks)
  • scottaworley
    scottaworley Posts: 871 Member
    Every cell in your body needs the proper amount of electrolytes to survive. As I recall (which may be faulty … cell biology was many years ago :tongue:) sodium and potassium are part of the mechanics of turning ADP to ATP, which then provides energy at the cellular level. Our bodies are quite good at maintaining the balance the cells need, and we start to feel ill long before things break down at the cellular level (usually).

    That said, most people probably get enough sodium through foods, and potassium isn't far behind. Unless you have a medical issue, or are working out in the heat or for long amounts of time (athletes, etc) you don't need to drink those electrolyte drinks. (Summer outdoor activities probably are best with a balance of water and electrolyte drinks)

    Thanks!
  • SudoApt
    SudoApt Posts: 9
    Pretty much what was already stated. Electrolytes transmit electricity through your body. Without them, you wouldn't move. Well you could but not very well.
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    That livestrong article was okay, but can anyone go in depth a little more about WHY they are important?

    You can't have a nerve impulse or move a muscle, without having a lot of sodium outside of the excitable cell, and a lot of potassium inside it. If you want to go into more depth, some topics to look at would be "action potential" and "sodium-potassium pump."
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    Every cell in your body needs the proper amount of electrolytes to survive. As I recall (which may be faulty … cell biology was many years ago :tongue:) sodium and potassium are part of the mechanics of turning ADP to ATP, which then provides energy at the cellular level. Our bodies are quite good at maintaining the balance the cells need, and we start to feel ill long before things break down at the cellular level (usually).

    That said, most people probably get enough sodium through foods, and potassium isn't far behind. Unless you have a medical issue, or are working out in the heat or for long amounts of time (athletes, etc) you don't need to drink those electrolyte drinks. (Summer outdoor activities probably are best with a balance of water and electrolyte drinks)

    Thanks!

    I think what you mean is that ATP is needed for the sodium-potassium pump to work.
  • The_Enginerd
    The_Enginerd Posts: 3,982 Member
    Drink Brawndo. It has electrolytes. It's what plants crave!
    Well I've never seen no plants grow out of no toilet.
  • SudoApt
    SudoApt Posts: 9
    I think what you mean is that ATP is needed for the sodium-potassium pump to work.

    I thought they were separate? You need ATP for energy and Na-K for signals?
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    I think what you mean is that ATP is needed for the sodium-potassium pump to work.

    I thought they were separate? You need ATP for energy and Na-K for signals?

    You're right. Making ATP is a separate process. ATP gets used to create the difference in sodium and potassium concentrations across cell membranes that allows signals to occur. (And it gets used for a lot of other things too.)

    ATP is made by fermentation, in the citric acid cycle, aka Krebs cycle, and in oxidative phosphorylation.
  • __Di__
    __Di__ Posts: 1,659 Member
    I think I can understand most nutrition and health concepts, but I never really got electrolytes. How important are they actually?

    If they go out of synch, you can fall very ill and in extreme circumstances you can die.

    Electrolytes can go out of synch if you drink so much water for instance, you dilute the sodium in your body - this is called water intoxication, very dangerous indeed.

    When somebody has a stomach bug and is being sick and has diarrhoea, this upsets the electrolytes which is why doctors often give those sachets to the patient to mix with water. They may taste disgusting but they balance the electrolytes.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    Drink Brawndo. It has electrolytes. It's what plants crave!

    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: You read my mind.........

    To the OP, without electrolytes you don't function. In extreme cases of anorexia it's often the lack of electrolytes that leads to the heart problems that kills the anorexic.
  • suzieqblair
    suzieqblair Posts: 1
    Thanks for all the info!
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
    I think what you mean is that ATP is needed for the sodium-potassium pump to work.

    I thought they were separate? You need ATP for energy and Na-K for signals?

    You're right. Making ATP is a separate process. ATP gets used to create the difference in sodium and potassium concentrations across cell membranes that allows signals to occur. (And it gets used for a lot of other things too.)

    ATP is made by fermentation, in the citric acid cycle, aka Krebs cycle, and in oxidative phosphorylation.


    You're right … I confused the Na-K pump and the electron transport chain :blushing: Thanks for the correction - I'd hoped someone would catch any error.

    That's what I get for trying to remember cell-bio from almost 2 decades ago (and before I changed majors)

    *Slinks back into the cave*
  • maddymama
    maddymama Posts: 1,183 Member
    Now, here's a piggyback question:
    Can you over do it on the electrolytes? Like it is possible to harm yourself by drinking too much electrolyte solution stuff? Of does it just simply pass through your body?
    Thanks!
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    I think what you mean is that ATP is needed for the sodium-potassium pump to work.

    I thought they were separate? You need ATP for energy and Na-K for signals?

    You're right. Making ATP is a separate process. ATP gets used to create the difference in sodium and potassium concentrations across cell membranes that allows signals to occur. (And it gets used for a lot of other things too.)

    ATP is made by fermentation, in the citric acid cycle, aka Krebs cycle, and in oxidative phosphorylation.


    You're right … I confused the Na-K pump and the electron transport chain :blushing: Thanks for the correction - I'd hoped someone would catch any error.

    That's what I get for trying to remember cell-bio from almost 2 decades ago (and before I changed majors)

    *Slinks back into the cave*

    Major changed to math, by any chance?

    It's hard to give a concise answer to the question of why electrolytes are important!
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    Now, here's a piggyback question:
    Can you over do it on the electrolytes? Like it is possible to harm yourself by drinking too much electrolyte solution stuff? Of does it just simply pass through your body?
    Thanks!

    Here's what the US Army has to say about water and electrolyte replacement: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10410838

    If your electrolyte solutions are properly diluted with water, then probably not. Most sport drinks that you buy at the grocery store are too concentrated, and should be diluted if you're going to count on them for fluid replacement. My first responder instructor suggested diluting Gatorade 50/50 with plain water.
  • maddymama
    maddymama Posts: 1,183 Member
    Now, here's a piggyback question:
    Can you over do it on the electrolytes? Like it is possible to harm yourself by drinking too much electrolyte solution stuff? Of does it just simply pass through your body?
    Thanks!

    Here's what the US Army has to say about water and electrolyte replacement: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10410838

    If your electrolyte solutions are properly diluted with water, then probably not. Most sport drinks that you buy at the grocery store are too concentrated, and should be diluted if you're going to count on them for fluid replacement. My first responder instructor suggested diluting Gatorade 50/50 with plain water.
    That makes sense. Thanks for providing the link. I thought the comment about initial days of hot weather training interesting, as those are the days that usually throw me for a loop, the first few runs when the temp spikes up.

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