{"id":18983,"date":"2025-06-12T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-12T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scienceinsport.com\/sports-nutrition\/?p=18983"},"modified":"2025-06-12T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2025-06-12T00:00:00","slug":"what-are-electrolytes-and-why-are-they-important","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scienceinsport.com\/sports-nutrition\/what-are-electrolytes-and-why-are-they-important\/","title":{"rendered":"WHAT ARE ELECTROLYTES AND WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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WHAT ARE ELECTROLYTES AND WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT?<\/h1>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\n Written By<\/span>\n

Dr Emily Jevons<\/h3>\n

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5 minutes<\/div>
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Most of what our body requires to function comes from small electrical charges sent across the body. Electrolytes are the essential minerals needed for this to occur, they will carry either a positive or a negative electrical charge when dissolved in water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These electrical signals contribute to many factors including muscle contraction, nerve function and hydration. If our body wants to perform such functions effectively, we need to ensure our electrolyte stores are maintained through diet or supplementation. Vital electrolytes that we need to regularly consume include; sodium, calcium, potassium, bicarbonate, chloride, phosphate and magnesium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So what happens if electrolyte stores are low? We can think of the human body as an electric battery, if the power of the battery is low, things will move slower (if at all) and less optimally. In the human body, we feel this as fatigue, headaches and dehydration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If this occurs long-term, it can have more serious consequences.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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ELECTROLYTES LOSS DURING EXERCISE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

One situation that can cause us to lose electrolytes, is exercise. When we exercise we lose electrolytes through our sweat, this in turn, contributes to dehydration. A reduction in as little as 2% of your body weight due to sweat loss can cause dehydration which will have a negative affect on your performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Specifically when we sweat, we mostly lose sodium, but we also lose potassium, magnesium and calcium in smaller quantities. The role of each of these electrolytes is summarised below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ELECTROLYTE<\/strong><\/td>KEY ROLE<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Sodium<\/td>Sodium is the main electrolyte found in the fluid around our cells (extracellular fluid) which is where our sweat is drawn from giving it a key role in fluid balance. It also has a role in nutrient absorption in our gut, muscle contraction, cognitive function, and the transmission of nerve impulses.<\/td><\/tr>
Potassium<\/td>Also known to help regulate fluid balance, muscle contraction, transmission of nerve impulses and can help support normal blood pressure.<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Magnesium<\/td>Magnesium plays a major role in energy production and more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body. It also helps muscles contract and regulate blood sugar.<\/td><\/tr>
Calcium<\/td>Calcium loss during sweat is minimal, but it is essential to maintaining overall health<\/a> for bones and proper functioning of muscles and nerves.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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On top of the importance for health, sodium and maintaining optimal fluid balance is also vital for performance. Although the impact will vary greatly between athletes, one study<\/a> found that athletes who replaced their sodium during a middle distance triathlon finished 26 minutes (on average) faster than those who didn\u2019t!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The amount of sodium you lose during exercise will vary between individuals but the ultimate need for replacing sodium during exercise comes down to fluid balance and maintaining appropriate osmolality (the bodies ratio of water and electrolytes).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CAUSES OF ELECTROLYTE DEFICIENCY<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The common dehydration mistake:<\/p>\n\n\n\n