Everyone knows drinking water is integral to maintaining a healthy body. Water is a fundamental building block of life, but did you know that depending on where it comes from, it can also contain many essential minerals? Water contains salts and minerals such as sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, and bicarbonates, commonly known as electrolytes. These can occur naturally in spring water in low concentrations or added to make a drink higher in electrolytes.
First of all – What is an electrolyte?
Electrolytes help control the electrical impulses that are constantly happening in our bodies. They are essential in regulating hydration levels, contracting muscles, controlling our nervous system, and regulating our pH levels. Electrolytes can be gained from eating all sorts of foods; however, sometimes during long endurance sports, you might need a quicker/easier method of replenishing your electrolyte levels. This is where electrolyte-infused water comes in.
Electrolyte water is mineral-infused water that has numerous benefits when it comes to health and blood pressure.
With electrolyte water, you get minerals like sodium, calcium, potassium, and magnesium supplementation, which are distributed throughout the body and facilitate many of the body’s functions.
Understanding The Concept Of Electrolytes In Water
You have heard about the obsession with sports drinks when it comes to regular gym-going people or athletes; this is because when you perform physical activity, your body loses electrolytes. After the super bowl, the winning coach is even given an electrolyte shower (although they likely aren’t going to absorb it through osmosis).
Electrolyte water helps cure dehydration and maintain the body’s hydration level, especially during hot weather. All major parts of the human body need electrolytes to function.
Note: Many electrolyte drinks also contain a large amount of sugar. Sugar is not an electrolyte! Although it can be used to help give your body a quick burst of energy in the form of fuel.
Key Advantages You Should Know
Water infused with minerals can have many benefits for important body functions and maintaining electrolyte levels. Read on to learn what differentiates mineral water from plain water.
Eliminates Body Dehydration
Doctors recommend consuming electrolyte water to become hydrated. Dehydration is a serious health situation where your body deals with fluid balance loss (the body can lose electrolytes) due to either sweating or inadequate liquid intake. When your body sweats, it loses many essential minerals through that action. Mineral water can help replace what you lose and provide better hydration (by replacing lost minerals) than just plain water.
As a result, it can impact your body weight in the long term. In addition, dehydration has numerous side effects as it can also decrease blood pressure and should be treated with electrolyte water.
Drinking plain water can be helpful in this situation, but it lacks essential electrolytes. Therefore, electrolyte water is recommended, which helps prevent dehydration by introducing minerals to the body.
Thus, it becomes important for the body to absorb important electrolytes after energy is lost, to maintain an optimal balance of fluids inside the cells.
Boost Physical Activities & Physical Performance
Did you know that your sweat contains electrolytes? Sweat contains small amounts of sodium, calcium, potassium, and magnesium, which are lost after physical activities.
Even a small percentage of lost water can cause a health hazard which can lead to a decrease in body strength and even cause dizziness in some cases. In this case, switching your regular water to electrolyte water may be recommended.
Exercising and indulging in physical activities can cause your heart rate, which requires important minerals. Electrolyte water assists in keeping your heart, brain, and muscles healthy, boosting your capabilities to perform better in sports or other physical activities. It provides the minerals needed before, during, and after an intense workout.
Athletes and regular exercisers know what it is like to include a new workout in their routine – enter severe muscle cramps! But cramps can be avoided if they consume the necessary electrolytes. In fact, it should increase their endurance!
Aids & Enhances Nervous System Function
The nervous system works by transmitting signals from the brain to the other parts of the body with the help of nerves. Electrolytes are needed for the transmission of electrical signals within the body. One suffers numerous side effects without electrolytes – reaction time increases, focus levels decrease, and dizziness.
Drinking electrolyte water offers electrolytes that aid in all these problems and prevents your nerves from slowing down. Having proper levels of electrolytes in the body is not just for hydration but even to facilitate important body functions. Electrolyte water can help regulate your nerves, muscles, heart, and brain by providing them with nutrients.
Helps In Preventing Heat-Related Illnesses
Heat can have an adverse impact on the fluid levels of the body. So it’s important to chug down plenty of fluids to help cool down the body. Drinking regular water helps, for sure, but electrolyte water helps treat severe dehydration and restore electrolytes lost through sweat. As a result, the body manages heat efficiently, all thanks to electrolyte water.
The electrolytes prevent dehydration, the minerals lost are regained and the body is rejuvenated. One should go to the doctor if your health is seriously compromised (heat stroke, dizziness, etc), but for immediate aid, electrolyte-rich water can be consumed.
Note: IV fluids should be provided in cases of severe or persistent symptoms of heat-related illnesses.
Electrolyte Water-Making Process
Electrolyte water can be expensive, but the good news is that you can prepare your own electrolyte-charged water at home, saving a few bucks (and using quality ingredients). To prepare lemon-lime electrolyte water, all you need are these easy-to-find ingredients:
- 1/4 tsp of salt
- 1/4 cup of lemon juice
- 1/4 cup of lime juice
- 1(1/2) cup of unsweetened coconut water
- 2 cups of water, preferably cold.
You can also add sugar if you like, but this recipe contains no sugar. Mix these ingredients and enjoy.
It’s worthwhile to try it out to make your no-sugar-added electrolyte water.
Should You Drink Electrolyte Water every Day?
Electrolyte water has a lot of benefits, but it is not necessary to consume it daily. This is especially true if you are drinking something that has high sugar content. Drinking it when you’re engaged in a long, demanding activity or high-heat situation is recommended. However, it completely depends person to person on what your needs and living conditions are.
Fun Facts & Points To Ponder
- Electrolytes don’t just exist in a liquid form; they also come in tablet and powder forms (you’ll have to add the water!).
- Normal water helps cure dehydration, but it is not enough to provide you with the essential minerals that are needed after intense physical activity. This is where electrolyte water is different- it gives your body many necessary nutrients, keeping it nourished.
- You should read the labels on vitamin drinks because, in many cases, the drink may contain large amounts of sugar while lacking important electrolytes.
- Electrolyte water should be consumed according to your individual needs and it is not necessary to drink electrolyte water daily.
- If someone is suffering from dehydration or heat stroke, an electrolyte water will provide them with more relief than just regular water. There is even a drink you can make called an ‘Oral Rehydration Solution’ with higher than normal electrolyte levels.
Using Coconut Water As A Sports Drink
Coconut water can be a great alternative to a sports drink owing to its health benefits, but these two drinks are not the same. While a sports drink contains flavoured ingredients, coconut water is natural. Coconut water will likely have more calories than a sports drink and definitely has more than a mineral-rich spring water.
Wrapping Up
It is crucial to know what your body needs and to respond to those needs for proper body functioning. For example, some electrolyte drinks are designed to increase hydration levels, while some are designed to provide much-needed minerals for the body. It depends on your needs to find which drink suits and benefits you the most.
