Beyond H2O: What You Need to Know About Electrolytes

Plus our homemade “Gatorade” recipe!

As the weather warms up and we spend more time outdoors—whether for a workout, a hike, or just soaking up the sunshine—our bodies naturally sweat more. While sweating is a healthy and necessary way to cool down, it also means losing vital fluids and electrolytes faster. Staying properly hydrated becomes more important than ever, not just with water, but also by replenishing key electrolytes that help keep our muscles functioning, our energy levels steady, and our bodies in balance.

I’d like to start you off with a little research by Dr. Mark Hyman. Sometimes, I say, “Don’t let this scare you,” but in the case of hydration, where it’s a no-brainer, this should scare you a little.

The relationship between dehydration and chronic disease and disease-related mortality is well established. Last year, a study published in nutrients looked at the hydration of the US adult population between 51 and 70 and found that 65% failed to meet hydration criteria. Remarkably, zero deaths were reported related to chronic disease in the group of people who met the proper criteria.

This is eye-opening information. Water does more than just “hydrate.” We need water to convert food into energy, lubricate our joints, cushion our bones, regulate body temperature, and produce sweat, tears, and mucus—mucus that lines our sinuses and gastrointestinal tract. Not to mention that our blood is 90% water. WHOA! If we’re dehydrated, we’re more likely to experience metabolic complications, high blood pressure, inflammation, constipation, and sinus infections.

Proper hydration includes the correct amount of water, which can vary by age, activity level, gender, size, and more. It is also combined with the appropriate amount of electrolyte balance.

CCN recommends drinking at least half your body weight in pure water daily. I’ve seen it suggested that women should have 11 cups of water and men 16 cups of water a day, but this is also water consumed from food. The nice thing about water is that we can be “better safe than sorry”. And don’t forget how important it is to check your water source and make sure the water you’re drinking is safe, and how much you need to filter. We have a whole home filtration system, and I safely add my trace mineral drops back into my water. Not to get too off topic here, but to cover all the bases, be sure you know what’s in your water, as the purer and safer it is, the better the hydration it will give you.

Staying hydrated during the hotter months or when you’re more active may have become more challenging over the years, which is why we wanted to cover electrolyte supplementation.

What is an electrolyte? Essential minerals like sodium, potassium, calcium, chloride, and phosphate are vital to cellular function, specifically muscular and nerve function. Essentially, they provide electricity for the body to function.

Dr Ben Lynch recently spoke about how the electromagnetic field (i.e., 5 G cell networks) around us has increased, and our need for electrolyte supplementation has also increased. So, truly, hydration has gotten somewhat more complicated as our world deals with more EMFs. Electrolytes used to be more connected to sports recovery for the muscles and nerves, but now seem essential for all of us.

The good news is that while tons of excellent electrolyte supplement options are available, you can also make your own. However, if you’re a convenience type of person (like me), then we also have some suggestions below.

As mentioned, there are plenty of decent options available today. And you’ll have noticed that while some contain small amounts of stevia, none contain artificial colors or preservatives, like our long-time standing options of Gatorade and Powerade. Body Armor has finally become as accessible as Gatorade and Powerade, and we highly suggest this as your and your kids’ sports drink of choice.

Lastly, foods rich in potassium, sodium, and chloride also offer electrolyte value to our bodies. There may be times when our diets are so rich in these trace minerals that we don’t need to supplement, especially if we aren’t sweating as much and our energy levels seem good. So we don’t want you all to think that you urgently need to supplement, but just be aware of your body’s needs as the world around us continues to change.

As promised, some on-the-go and homemade options would be:

Homemade Gatorade

Ingredients

• 1 quart of liquid (options: green tea, herbal teas, coconut water, plain water, etc)

• 1⁄8-1/4 tsp Himalayan sea salt (regular table salt will work, but it doesn't have all the trace minerals)

• 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 tsp crushed calcium magnesium tablets or powder (optional)

• 1⁄4 cup or more of juice (optional. Can use grape, apple, lemon, lime, pineapple, etc)

• 1-2 TBSP sweetener (optional)- can use honey, stevia, etc

Directions

1. Use a slightly warm base liquid

2. Add sea salt and calcium magnesium (if using)

3. Add juice and mix or shake well

4. Cool and store in the fridge until ready to use

Most Accessible: Nuun, which I often find at Target or other grocery stores. These tablets easily fit in a small purse.

Most Natural: Coconut water, which is also easy to find. The downside to coconut water is that it could spike your blood sugar without being combined with a meal.

A few other brands we love and recommend:

Thorne Catalyte – It’s just a scoop and dissolves pretty quickly in the water.

Redmond Re-Lyte – grab the sample pack to try all their flavors, but Strawberry Lemonade is a personal favorite.

When is the best time to drink electrolytes?

If you are more type A, you will find the best time to drink is 1- 2 hours before a workout. But you can't mess this up if you’re type B like me. There is no real wrong time to drink your electrolytes, but I try to keep them between my more active hours: 9-5.

How much should I drink?

This can vary by person, so I don’t want to make a recommendation on this specifically, but I’ll say start with one serving a day and see how you feel. If you need to increase, you might notice how much more hydrated and energized you feel from the electrolytes, and can increase another serving. Any more, I’d say you should be evaluated by your functional medicine doctor.

Cheers to a hydrated Spring and Summer!