What the Hell Are Electrolytes?

Show of hands for who knows what electrolytes actually are.

*crickets*

Electrolytes seem to be everywhere now. They’re in your pre-gym bar and all expensive bottled water. Surely electrolytes must be some sort of magical health-ensuring fitness-boosting particle… Right?

Electrolytes are are basically just fancifully named minerals that are negatively or positively charged and help cells do their cell-y things. They pair up to get shit done. For example, calcium and magnesium help keep nerves and muscles happy (one activates them, one relaxes them). One of your kidney’s main functions is keeping electrolytes in check.

The reason why all these sports drinks shout to the heavens about their electrolyte content is because sweat is a majorrrrr deplenisher of electrolytes (does anyone else have an image in their mind of a little electrolyte slipping out of some sweat saying “adios!”… no?).

So now that we’ve covered what the hell are electrolytes and how they leave your body, let’s talk about how to keep your body’s electrolyte balance happy. If you’re eating right, this shouldn’t be too hard. Just make sure to adequately power up before and after intense workouts.

The most important electrolytes are calcium, magnesium, potassium, and phosphate and you’re going to need water to work as a conductor. So as long as you stay hydrated and eat (for example) a banana post or pre sweat-sesh, you should be perfect electrolit ( <- ha, get it?).

Have you ever noticed an electrolyte difference? What other fitness stuff are you wondering about?

* image from here