Water is widely associated with hydration. In fact, water is the go-to drink for many when they’re thirsty, sweaty and feeling parched on a hot summer’s day. While drinking water provides much-needed relief from the heat, your body requires more than what water can deliver to maintain optimal fluid balance.
An adult human body is composed of about 60% water, according to science. [1] But water is just one of several components that make up your body fluids. Blood plasma and component cells, proteins and many soluble particles make up the rest of your body fluids together with water and electrically charged minerals called electrolytes. [2]
Electrolytes serve many critical functions. Because they conduct electricity when dissolved in water, electrolytes provide the necessary charge that drives automatic body processes, such as heartbeat regulation, muscle function and nerve signaling. [3] The interplay between water, electrolytes and your cells also helps maintain fluid balance, which is important for ensuring proper hydration.
According to research, about 62.5% of your total body water is located inside cells. [4] Electrolytes help cells maintain normal fluid levels by dictating whether water should enter or leave. For instance, if the electrolyte concentration is higher outside cells, water will naturally flow out of the cells to balance the difference and vice versa. In short, your body actively moves electrolytes in and out of cells to keep them hydrated. [5]
Hydration on a larger scale works the same way. As you sweat on a hot day, your body loses water and important electrolytes along with it, messing with your body’s fluid and electrolyte balance. Imbalances caused by a deficiency in one or more essential electrolytes can lead to serious issues, including fatigue, diarrhea, muscle cramps or weakness, nausea and vomiting, and irregular heart rate, among others. [6]
This is why your body needs more than just water for hydration. On unbearably hot days that require complete and constant rehydration, your optimal wellness depends not just on sufficient water intake but also on maintaining healthy levels of essential hydrating minerals.
5 Important Minerals Your Body Needs for Optimal Hydration*
Water and electrolytes don’t just come from beverages (naturally electrolyte-rich drinks like pure coconut water and milk exist); they are also present in many fruits and vegetables. Examples of high-water foods include watermelon, strawberries, cantaloupes, celery, cucumber and romaine lettuce. [7] Excellent sources of electrolytes include avocados, spinach, kale, almonds, peanuts, tomatoes, yogurt, bananas, legumes and bone broth. [8] Some of these foods make perfect healthy snacks on any given day, while others can be easily incorporated into smoothies for quicker consumption.
Here are 5 of the essential electrolytes for optimal hydration that you can get from these foods:
Sodium
Sodium is one of the major minerals that your body requires in substantial amounts. Due to its critical role in regulating blood pressure, excessive and insufficient sodium intake can negatively impact cardiovascular function. Sodium is also deeply involved in balancing the amount and distribution of water in the body, making it an essential nutrient for maintaining optimal hydration. [9]
As the principal cation (positively charged ion) in extracellular fluid (the fluid outside cells), sodium is consistently exchanged with potassium when it moves into or out of cells. [10] Sodium also facilitates the movement of calcium ions into muscle fibers, triggering muscle contraction. Muscle relaxation, meanwhile, occurs when magnesium counteracts the influx of calcium within muscle cells. [11]
Potassium
Potassium is the primary cation inside cells. It works together with sodium to regulate water balance. For instance, when glucose molecules enter cells, they are transported together with sodium through the sodium-potassium pumps embedded in cell membranes. Water passively follows sodium, trailed by negatively charged chloride ions to maintain electrical neutrality. This sequence means that cells receive an influx of molecules whenever they take up glucose.
To balance the concentration of electrolytes inside and outside cells, sodium-potassium pumps expel sodium ions, followed by water and chloride. For every three sodium ions pumped out, the cell takes in two potassium ions. This process is how fluid balance is maintained between cells and their surrounding environment. [12]
Chloride
Chloride is a naturally occurring mineral found in various foods. It is also the most abundant electrolyte in human blood after sodium. The richest dietary source of chloride is sodium chloride, what we all know as table salt. [13] Chloride helps stimulate nerve and muscle cells and even facilitates the flow of carbon dioxide and oxygen within cells. It is also essential for maintaining normal pH levels. [14]
As an electrolyte, chloride can move easily across cell membranes, passively following sodium and potassium to maintain charge neutrality. [15] Simultaneously, chloride helps regulate the movement of water and nutrients in and out of cells, making it crucial for keeping cells hydrated.
Magnesium
Magnesium is essential for the formation of strong bones and teeth. In fact, most of the magnesium in your body is stored in your bones. Magnesium also supports the normal functions of your nerves and muscles and serves as a cofactor (helper molecule) in more than 300 enzyme systems involved in regulating important bodily processes. [16][17]
According to studies, prolonged strenuous workouts can lead to significant reductions in blood magnesium levels. This loss occurs through sweating and is considerably amplified when the weather is hot. [18] This is why it’s important to replenish your magnesium stores after sweating profusely. Low magnesium levels can cause fatigue, muscle cramps or twitches, loss of appetite, and more. [19]
Calcium
A major component of bones, calcium is another essential mineral for building strong bones and teeth. Calcium is also known for its roles in muscle function, heartbeat regulation and nerve signaling. [20] According to studies, the body loses a small amount of calcium through sweat. However, excessive sweating caused by heat exposure or intense physical activity can significantly deplete calcium levels. [21]
What’s more, a study published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise reported that exercise can cause dermal calcium loss, which increases parathyroid hormone secretion. This hormone promotes bone resorption, which can reduce bone mineral density. [22] To prevent this and other consequences of electrolyte imbalance, make sure to replenish lost fluids and electrolytes during summer, especially if you’re physically active.
Ensure Optimal Hydration with Lab-verified Concentrated Mineral and Electrolyte Drops*
The importance of water and electrolytes for optimal health and hydration cannot be overstated. But on days when you sweat a lot, especially in summer, you lose large amounts of water and electrolytes, making it crucial to replenish what you have lost through the foods that you eat and the fluids that you drink.
To help you stay hydrated this summer, the Health Ranger Store is offering two lab-verified products that can help you maintain optimal fluid and electrolyte balance. Health Ranger Select Electrolyte Drops 8 fl oz (236ml) is a convenient supplement that allows you to boost your electrolyte intake with just a few drops. One of the most potent hydration solutions on the market, our premium electrolyte drops are in an ionized liquid form that is easy for the body to absorb.
Health Ranger Select Electrolyte Drops 8 fl oz (236ml) are naturally distilled from the waters of Utah’s Great Salt Lake, which is known as a self-purifying ecosystem. It contains more than 70 ionic minerals, including 5 of the main electrolytes your body needs – namely, magnesium, chloride, sodium, potassium and calcium – to maintain optimal hydration and healthy internal pH levels.
Similarly, Health Ranger Select Concentrated Mineral Drops 8 fl oz (236ml) are the ideal hydrating solution because they deliver a pure, concentrated dose of more than 24 different trace minerals. Also sourced from Utah’s pristine Great Salt Lake, our premium mineral drops are concentrated using a natural solar-evaporation process to retain each mineral’s natural ionic properties, making them highly bioavailable.
Some of the important minerals you can find in Health Ranger Select Concentrated Mineral Drops 8 fl oz (236ml) include magnesium, sodium, potassium and sulfate – the fourth most abundant anion in your blood. To get your daily dose of essential minerals and keep your body properly hydrated and nourished, simply add a few drops to your drinking water, juice or post-workout shake or smoothie.
Health Ranger Select Concentrated Mineral Drops 8 fl oz (236ml) and Health Ranger Select Electrolyte Drops 8 fl oz (236ml) are non-GMO, non-irradiated and contain no additives. They are also certified Kosher and untreated with ethylene oxide (ETO). For your safety and peace of mind, all Health Ranger Store products are also meticulously lab tested for glyphosate, heavy metals and microbiology.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose any diseases.
References
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
[3] https://www.medicalnewstoday.com
[4] https://www.sciencedirect.com
[5] https://www.merckmanuals.com
[6] https://my.clevelandclinic.org
[7] https://www.healthline.com
[10] https://www.sciencedirect.com
[11] https://www.phenomena.org
[12] https://pressbooks-dev.oer.hawaii.edu
[13] https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu
[15] https://med.libretexts.org
[16] https://www.msdmanuals.com
[18] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
[19] https://www.healthline.com
[20] https://my.clevelandclinic.org
[21] https://news.cuanschutz.edu
[22] https://www.ovid.com
