Understanding the Importance and Benefits of Electrolyte Drinks
Everyday you hear that you should eat bananas because it provides potassium, then drink milk and eat dairy products for the calcium, and be careful not to consume too much salt as it can be too much sodium. Electrolytes are the minerals that you find in the milk you drink, the bananas you eat, and the salt you should not consume too much of. Sodium, calcium, and potassium along with a couple of other minerals are electrolytes.
What are electrolytes and why are they important?
In a nutshell, electrolytes are the minerals that convey an electrical charge that is important for the transmitting of electricity through your body. Just like nutrients, electrolytes have a number of important functions it has to perform.
The most important functions are to balance body fluids, control the pH levels in tissue material, and make it possible for your muscles to contract. In order for optimal health, like any other nutrients in the body, electrolytes need to be at certain levels. If not, it can lead to a number of health problems ranging from easily rectifiable to dangerously life threatening and even fatal.
How do I make sure I get enough electrolytes?
As a rule, the majority of electrolytes are obtained through the normal food we consume everyday. The secret is to follow a healthy balanced diet. However, even with the best intentions, for a variety of reasons, that is not always practical or possible. Whatever the situation or reason may be, fortunately you can count on SOS Hydration to get all the electrolytes your body needs in the right quantities.
Electrolytes and strenuous activity, exercise, or sports
It is well established that when we take part in strenuous activities, may it be work, sports, harsh weather conditions, or exercise, we sweat, and we lose electrolytes through sweating. These electrolytes need to be replaced in order to remain hydrated, and to ensure the other key functions electrolytes perform remain in tact. With the electrolyte water from SOS Hydration you can make sure that you will replace the electrolytes and remain hydrated properly when you consume it during strenuous activities in any weather conditions.
How can you improve your electrolyte intake?
As mentioned before, if you engage in strenuous activities of any kind, apart from calories that you burn, you need electrolytes to ensure optimal fluid balance in your body, ensure that your nervous system are functioning normal, and that your muscle function is normal. Although it might not sound significant, but you lose plenty of electrolytes through sweat when you exercise or work hard.
As mentioned, you can follow a healthy diet that will provide for the lost electrolytes, but while exercising, training, or taking part in sports, there is no time to wait to consume the right foods to replenish the need that arise. The most effective way is to enjoy electrolyte water such as SOS Hydration. An electrolyte drink will replenish your body with the most needed electrolytes in an instant allowing you to perform longer, exercise or train more, or work harder for longer.
What if I am not really an active type of person?
It is important to understand that there is a difference between making sure you get sufficient electrolytes that your body needs and replacing electrolytes during vigorous training, exercise, or activities.
Remember that no two persons are the same. Some people needs only a little amount of activity to sweat a lot while others can exercise for an hour without breaking a sweat.
If you are not an active person, making sure you follow a well balanced healthy diet is likely enough to take care of your electrolyte needs. Keep in mind that strenuous exercise is not the only factor that cause sweat and electrolyte loss. If you sweat a lot because of warm humid weather conditions, you still are losing electrolytes. Make sure you replace it with delicious electrolyte water that will not only replace the electrolytes, but will also keep you hydrated and quench your thirst in the heat.
How will I benefit from drinking electrolyte water?
Typically the electrolytes found in our bodies are calcium, sodium, potassium, bicarbonate, phosphate, chloride, and magnesium. Each mineral has it own particular benefits:
- Sodium
Sodium benefits the body by balancing body fluids, sending nerve impulses, assists healthy muscle contractions and functioning, and reduces blood pressure. - Calcium
We all know that calcium is needed for building and maintaining bones. It is also vital for proper heart muscle functioning and for proper nerve functioning. Some studies suggest that combined with vitamin B it possible can protect you from diabetes, cancer and high blood pressure. - Magnesium
Magnesium is needed to support over 300 biochemical reaction in your body. It is important for nerve impulse transmission, temperature regulation of the body, energy production, help forming healthy teeth and bones, and with detoxification of your body. - Potassium
Potassium provides support from blood pressure, stroke, kidney, and heart disorders. It also benefits water balance, muscle strength, electrolyte functions, nervous system, and metabolism in the body. - Phosphate
Phosphorus assist with better digestion, regular excretion, bone formation, hormonal balance, protein formation, better energy extraction, optimal chemical reactions, suitable nutrient consumption, and cellular repairs. Phosphorus is a vital element of any diet. - Chloride
Chloride is one of the most essential electrolytes in your body. It assists in balancing internal and external cell fluids. It also helps to regulate blood pressure, blood volumes, and the pH of body fluids. - Bicarbonate
Who would have guessed that simple baking soda would enhance kidney function and safeguards the body form too much acid while it also help to keep pH levels stable.
Now we know how important each electrolyte is for our bodies. With this in mind, let us look at the benefits electrolyte drinks or electrolyte water can have for you apart from the above benefits.
Benefits of electrolyte water and drinks
SOS Hydration provides your body with the vital electrolytes as mentioned above in one easy drink without the need to consume different kinds of food to make sure you supply your body with all of them. Let us look at the additional benefits of electrolyte water and drinks:
- Electrolyte water and drinks are convenient and tasty. It provides you with all the required electrolytes in one drink. You can drink it any time any place when you need it.
- It prevents dehydration. When you suffer from an electrolyte imbalance due to exercise, strenuous activity, hot and humid weather conditions, or illness, an electrolyte drink or water such will help you to replenish fluids and electrolytes simultaneously without effort. It is also advisable to drink it before, during, and after exercise or strenuous activities especially during hot humid weather when dehydration is a risk. SOS Hydration provides the hydration boost that you need to maximise your wellness.
- Electrolyte water or drinks helps to keep the pH balance of the blood balanced and decrease the risk of dehydration when your blood alkalinity or acidity is too high or low. It also contains sodium and chloride that is essential in maintaining the correct pH balance in your blood.
- When suffering from an illness such as diarrhoea or nausea that causes you to vomit, dehydration is a huge risk. An electrolyte water and drinks will help you to replenish the lost electrolytes and keep your hydration levels up. It is also good to consume electrolyte water or drinks when suffering from flu or other fever related illnesses.
- Hangovers are caused by dehydration and the lack of specifically important electrolytes such as sodium and potassium along with other key electrolytes. An electrolyte water will help cure that hangover faster bringing you back to your best!
When choosing a hydration drink to maximise your wellness there can only be one choice, choose SOS Hydration!