Definition

Electrolytes are minerals such as Sodium, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, Chloride, Phosphate, and Bicarbonate. These substances can dissolve in body fluids to create ions with electrical charges. Some ions have a positive charge, while others have a negative charge.

Electrolytes are important for metabolism and help muscles and other processes in the body to function more smoothly and efficiently.

Uses

Electrolytes are electrically charged particles found in blood, sweat, and other body fluids. They act as carriers, helping the body perform many important tasks:

  • Regulating the amount of water in the body: Electrolytes help maintain the balance between the amount of water inside and outside the cells, preventing the body from becoming dehydrated or overhydrated.
  • Maintain blood pH stability: Blood pH is a measure of the acid-base balance in the blood. Electrolytes help regulate blood pH, ensuring that chemical reactions in the body take place normally.
  • Transport nutrients and remove waste: Electrolytes help transport nutrients such as sodium, potassium, and calcium into cells and remove waste from cells.
  • Regulate blood pressure: Electrolytes, especially sodium, play an important role in regulating blood pressure.
  • Strengthen muscles: Electrolytes help transmit nerve signals to muscles, helping muscles contract and function effectively.
  • Ensure nervous system function: Electrolytes participate in the transmission of nerve impulses, helping the brain and other organs function smoothly.

Needs

Factors such as living environment, gender, time and intensity of sports practice can affect the level of electrolyte deficiency.

The body’s daily need for electrolytes can vary as follows:

  • Both men and women should maintain sodium intake below 2,000 mg. If the body is out of balance, you can use electrolyte replacement water to adjust the amount of sodium.
  • The amount of potassium that needs to be maintained is 4,000 mg per day. Instead of using electrolyte water, you can supplement potassium through foods such as avocados and bananas.
  • Men should consume about 330 – 350 mg of magnesium per day, while women should maintain 255 – 265 mg.
  • Both men and women should keep their calcium intake at around 800 mg per day. Calcium is very important for the body and is abundant in meat, fish, eggs, and milk.

How to supplement

Supplementing electrolytes through diet

To balance electrolytes, the best way is through a diet with natural foods. Fresh and diverse foods provide electrolytes, vitamins, and other important compounds.

When the body lacks electrolytes due to illness such as diarrhea, vomiting, excessive sweating, or strenuous exercise, it can be supplemented with the following foods:

  • Sodium: Foods rich in sodium include coconut water, chocolate, peanut butter, olive oil, and pickles. Athletes can supplement through salted foods or milk chocolate.
  • Potassium: Found in bananas, oranges, melons, plums, kale, sweet potatoes, potatoes. Pay attention to protecting the kidneys to maintain stable potassium levels.
  • Calcium: Found in milk, dairy products, eggs, sardines, broccoli, cauliflower. Calcium deficiency can cause itching, seizures or heart rhythm disturbances.
  • Phosphorus: Provided through yogurt, eggs, meat, fish, beans, seeds. Phosphorus deficiency can lead to itching, muscle weakness and heart rhythm disturbances.
  • Magnesium: Found in fish, seeds, dried beans, dark grains, dark green vegetables. Magnesium deficiency can cause fatigue and body exhaustion.

Supplement through supplements

  • Alkaline ionized water: This water has many healthy ions, helps support metabolism and maintain body functions.
  • Oresol electrolyte replacement water: Used when the body is severely dehydrated and loses electrolytes, helps support the treatment of diarrhea, vomiting, high fever.

Intravenous Electrolyte Replenishment

Intravenous electrolyte replenishment is often performed in cases of severe dehydration, acute illness, electrolyte imbalance, or as a treatment aid in surgery and intensive care. In particular, it is also useful for athletes who need to recover quickly after intense physical activity.

Fluids and electrolytes delivered directly through the veins will help replenish water and minerals immediately to each cell, thereby helping the body recover quickly.

Side Effects

While electrolyte supplementation is important for health, improper use can cause side effects. Causes include:

  • Excessive supplementation: Especially sodium, can lead to high blood pressure and edema.
  • Imbalance: Too much of one electrolyte and not enough of the others can cause heart, nerve, and muscle dysfunction.
  • Kidney problems: People with kidney disease may have difficulty eliminating excess electrolytes.
  • Common side effects include: Gastrointestinal upset, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, fatigue, seizures, and edema.

Interactions (if any)

There is no evidence that electrolytes interact with other drugs or substances.

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