No matter if you’re a hardcore gym rat or somewhat health conscious, chances are you have downed a post-workout sports drink. In doing so, you may have noticed that some labels include promises to replenish depleted electrolytes. However, those labels rarely tell you what electrolytes are and why you need them in the first place. The aim of this article is to answer those and other questions about electrolytes. First things first, we can thank the ancient Greeks for giving us the word electrolyte via the combination of the Greek words electro and lytos.Combined, these two words mean “loosened electricity” in English. What does loosened electricity have to do with your body? In a word, everything. Your brain, heart and lungs run on loosened electricity, in a manner of speaking. Electrolytes carry electrical charges that cause your muscles contract, like your heart and diaphragm, for example. How do they do this? Electrolytes are substances. Specifically, they are atoms – the tiny particles that scientists believe everything is made of. These particular atoms act as electrical conductors “when dissolved in a solution such as water.” In most cases, your body creates its own supply of electrolytes.
The big three are sodium, potassium, and chloride. Honorable mention goes to calcium, magnesium, bicarbonate and phosphate. All of them can be found floating around in your “extracellular and intracellular fluid,” and they are excreted through sweat and urine. If your body doesn’t maintain an adequate supply of these nutrients either through your daily diet or supplements, let’s just say you’re not going to be a happy camper for long.
