Everything you want to know about electrolytes
What are electrolytes?
Electrolytes are organic compounds found in body fluids and carry an electrical charge (we know them by their more common names such as: sodium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, chlorine, and hydrogen phosphate).
The free ions of the electrolytes behave as typical conductors of electricity helping the muscles to perform contractions and consequently facilitating movement, exercise and blood circulation in the heart and even breathing!
That's why when you become dehydrated or lose a lot of fluids through sweat after a hard workout, low levels of electrolytes in the body lead to cramps, muscle injuries or even heart arrhythmias.
When do we need electrolyte supplements?
Electrolytes are an essential part of the daily diet, especially in the summer. With intense training and high temperatures, sweating often exceeds 1-1.5 liters of sweat per hour. But sweat is not only water, since significant amounts of electrolytes are lost with it. A daily diet should be rich in electrolytes and especially in sodium, potassium and magnesium. So we can salt our food better for sodium, eat more oranges and bananas for potassium, while our meals should be rich in green leafy vegetables and nuts for magnesium.
In competitions that last many hours such as marathons, ultramarathons, cycling and ironman then you can take electrolytes in capsules during the exercise.
Energy gel or sports drink?
Energy gels provide mainly concentrated carbohydrates for a seamless energy supply, while a sports drink provides both energy and a significant amount of electrolytes in addition to carbohydrates. Of course, some energy gels also provide a small amount of electrolytes, while others do not. Therefore, in the summer and when training lasts more than 1 hour, it would be good to have with you, in addition to gels, a sports drink.
