Within the comedic, dystopian movie Idiocracy, set in 2505, all water in the USA has been changed with a Gatorade-like drink known as Brawndo: The Thirst Mutilator. They even water the crops with Brawndo as a result of Brawndo supposedly “has what crops crave”: electrolytes. 

Effectively, changing plain H20 (which, in Idiocracy, is barely utilized in bathrooms) with Brawndo kills the crops, threatening the way forward for humanity. Fortunately, a man from the previous (performed by Luke Wilson) convinces individuals dwelling sooner or later to start out watering their crops with “rest room water” as a substitute of Brawndo and thus saves society from collapse. 

Whereas Idiocracy is satire, for those who stroll down the drink part of your close by comfort retailer, you may get the impression that we’re on the trail to pondering each dwelling creature wants extra electrolytes and changing all of our fluids with those who embody them. There are rows and rows of drinks boasting concerning the quantity of electrolytes they include and the way they’ll quench your thirst. Tweens throughout America are clamoring for his or her dad and mom to purchase them Prime, an electrolyte drink made by YouTube-provocateur-turned-professional-wrestler Logan Paul. 

However will we really need all these electrolyte-infused drinks? Do they enhance your well being and athletic efficiency? 

To resolve these questions, I talked to Dr. Robert Kenefick, a scientist who has spent his profession researching hydration and electrolytes and even labored for the U.S. Military to assist discover methods to maintain troopers wholesome and hydrated on the battlefield. He additionally heads the analysis division at Entrinsic Bioscience, which research and develops electrolyte dietary supplements. 

Right here’s what I realized from Dr. Kenefick. 

What Are Electrolytes and Why Are They Important?

Electrolytes are minerals that carry {an electrical} cost when dissolved in water. They play an important function in sustaining correct bodily capabilities. A number of the principal electrolytes embody sodium, potassium, magnesium, chloride, and phosphate. These minerals regulate fluid stability, help nerve and muscle perform, and facilitate metabolic processes.

Dr. Kenefick stated that essentially the most important function electrolytes — significantly sodium — play if you’re sweating bullets helps you keep fluids so that you don’t get dehydrated. “Wherever sodium goes, water follows,” Dr. Kenefick instructed me. “So when you’ve got sodium in a beverage, you’ll retain the water to a higher diploma than the identical quantity of water over a time frame in comparison with if you don’t.” 

How Do You Lose Electrolytes?

We lose electrolytes primarily by 4 bodily excretions: sweat, pee, poop, and vomit. 

The quantity of electrolytes you lose through sweat will depend upon components like surroundings temperature, train depth, and your sweat price. Some individuals are inclined to excrete extra electrolytes of their sweat than others. That simply comes all the way down to genetics. You may inform for those who’re an enormous electrolyte excreter by taking a look at darkish exercise garments after your sweat has dried; for those who see some white streaks, that signifies you’ve let off numerous minerals. 

Dr. Kenefick instructed me the most important approach individuals lose electrolytes is after they get sick and vomit and have numerous diarrhea, noting that “You truly lose much more electrolytes by diarrhea than you do by sweat.” Younger kids lose numerous electrolytes after they get a abdomen bug and have fluids popping out of each ends, which is why medical doctors sometimes advocate that folks give their children an electrolyte beverage after they’re sick.

Can You Develop an Electrolyte Deficiency?

The massive promoting level of electrolyte drinks is that they might help you replenish an electrolyte deficiency.

However Dr. Kenefick identified that electrolyte imbalances don’t occur all that a lot besides in excessive circumstances like the place you’re throwing up and vomiting from an sickness or exercising day after day in sizzling climate. 

“The physique does an excellent job of sustaining electrolyte balances with out you having to do a lot,” Dr. Kenefick defined. “For instance, potassium may be very tightly regulated within the physique. Your kidneys know when to carry on to potassium as a substitute of excreting it and when to excrete extra as a substitute of maintain on to it.” 

Furthermore, you’re most likely getting all of the electrolytes you want from consuming. Electrolytes are so strongly related to sports activities drinks nowadays, you possibly can nearly overlook that the identical minerals you get from Gatorade are present in meals, too.

“You probably have a comparatively regular American weight-reduction plan, you’re going to get the electrolytes you want out of your meals to be wholesome,” Dr. Kenefick stated. “It’s simply in excessive conditions the place you’re doing numerous strenuous train day after day after day within the warmth or if you’re actually sick that imbalances may happen.” That’s as a result of an everyday weight-reduction plan isn’t adequate to compensate for the electrolytes misplaced in these circumstances.  

What Occurs When You Run Low on Electrolytes?

So let’s say you sweat bullets for a number of days in a row and have low electrolytes. What’s going to occur to you?

It’s your skill to retain fluids that shall be most affected. “The first factor we’re fearful about in the case of electrolytes is that they assist your physique keep hydrated,” Dr. Kenefick stated. “For those who don’t have sufficient electrolytes, your physique goes to have a more durable time preserving the fluids it wants for regular functioning.” Dehydration can result in a lack of power and stamina and to warmth exhaustion. 

Over the long run, dropping numerous electrolytes can depart you depleted within the minerals that not solely provide help to hydrate, but additionally carry out different health-facilitating capabilities within the physique.

Does Having Excessive Ranges of Electrolytes Increase Athletic Efficiency? 

Perhaps. We do know that enough hydration is critical for athletic efficiency. In case your muscular tissues aren’t hydrated, you’re going to really feel sluggish. A 2007 assessment article means that insufficient hydration can scale back power by roughly 2%, energy by about 3%, and high-intensity endurance by as much as 10%. 

A few research have proven that athletes who devour an electrolyte + carbohydrate beverage carry out higher than those that hydrate with water. However these research are restricted. In some situations, the distinction in efficiency wasn’t statistically important. It appears to be like like the most important efficiency enhance from ingesting an electrolyte beverage comes for those who’re dehydrated. For those who’re already well-hydrated earlier than an athletic occasion, ingesting a sports activities drink might be not going to enhance your efficiency. 

You’ll have additionally heard that electrolytes stop muscle cramping — is that true?

Researchers nonetheless aren’t positive what causes muscle cramping. A few research have proven that ingesting an electrolyte complement might help maintain your muscular tissues hydrated and thus scale back the probability of cramping, however that proof is proscribed. It’d assist; it won’t.

So Do I Have to Take An Electrolyte Complement?

For those who’ve learn all the pieces above, you already know the reply might be no.

As Dr. Kenefick instructed me a number of instances, electrolyte supplementation is barely mandatory in excessive circumstances. For those who or your child is sick and are dropping numerous fluids, ingesting an electrolyte complement could be useful for rehydrating. It could even be useful for those who’re doing numerous strenuous train or working day in and time out within the warmth.

For those who’re simply lifting weights indoors or working a couple of miles each different day, you most likely don’t must take an electrolyte complement. Your common weight-reduction plan and water consumption will seemingly be adequate to provide the electrolytes and fluids it is advisable to keep wholesome and hydrated. Whenever you devour sports activities drinks in these circumstances, you’re most likely simply peeing out the electrolytes — you’re pissing away your cash.

Can You O.D. on Electrolytes?

Dr. Kenefick famous {that a} rising concern that has provide you with the proliferation of electrolyte dietary supplements is individuals overdosing on them.

“For essentially the most half, your kidneys do a very good job dealing with extra electrolyte consumption,” Dr. Kenefick instructed me. “Your physique has sure hormones that inform the kidneys to do away with extra electrolytes that it doesn’t want.” 

He did say, nevertheless, that folks with hypertension must be cautious with ingesting electrolyte dietary supplements as a result of they will improve their sodium ranges.

What’s the Finest Sort of Electrolyte Beverage? 

Alright. So let’s say you end up in a circumstance the place consuming a sports activities drink or electrolyte complement could be useful. What’s the very best sort to take?

Dr. Kenefick recommends on the lookout for one that mixes electrolytes with glucose; sugar is essential for the optimum absorption of electrolytes. As Dr. Kenefick defined, “Glucose is a sodium cotransporter. When glucose goes by the intestinal wall, it pulls sodium with it. And as I stated earlier, the place sodium goes, water goes with it. So a glucose plus electrolyte beverage is de facto good at serving to you hydrate.”

With that stated, you’ve acquired to watch out with this. “Pedialyte places approach an excessive amount of glucose of their drinks. They’re mainly sugar bombs,” Dr. Kenefick stated. “Yeah, the sugar helps make the salty-tasting electrolytes go down simpler, nevertheless it’s most likely approach an excessive amount of sugar.”

What’s extra, in some situations, glucose can truly stimulate your intestine to not soak up vitamins like electrolytes, which is why Dr. Kenefick is engaged on growing an electrolyte complement that makes use of amino acids to hold sodium and water to the physique: “You keep away from the difficulty of glucose getting in the best way of absorption, and also you don’t have to fret about ingesting extra sugar. The usage of amino acids in electrolyte dietary supplements is the following revolution in hydration science.”

Earlier than that revolution arrives, search for an electrolyte beverage that has a bit of however not numerous glucose — round 13 grams.

What ought to the electrolyte make-up of that beverage or complement appear like? 

Dr. Kenefick famous that again within the Fifties, scientists thought a rehydration beverage ought to have the identical focus of electrolytes as you lose in your sweat. “These electrolyte ranges have been too excessive. You didn’t want that a lot, and it simply resulted in a nasty-tasting drink,” he stated. 

The WHO has a suggestion for the best composition of a rehydration drink:

• Sodium chloride: 2.6 grams
• Trisodium citrate: 2.9 grams
• Potassium chloride: 1.5 grams

“A lot of the common electrolyte drinks available on the market have greater than this, “Dr. Kenefick noticed. “Once more, it gained’t harm you to drink an electrolyte beverage with greater than the WHO suggestion, nevertheless it most likely gained’t do a lot for you both.”

Backside Line

Electrolytes are essential for lots of bodily capabilities. They play a key function in preserving you hydrated. However until you’re sick and dropping fluids or doing numerous bodily exercise within the warmth, you most likely don’t must devour electrolyte-fortified drinks.

And also you positively shouldn’t water your tomato crops with them.