Try out this clean electrolyte supplement from Ultima to give your body the balance it needs. Get 20% off when you sign up for Ultima’s emails at this link!
Ah, Gatorade. You used to guzzle this sports drink on the soccer field. Now, you’ve heard it’s packed with sugar, artificial ingredients, technicolor pigments, and flavor that is far from natural. The real kicker is that Gatorade has one-fifth of the electrolytes as coconut water.
Does getting enough electrolytes really matter? As long as you’re getting enough liquid in the day, you’re good, right?
Electrolytes bring a host of benefits that water alone can’t. Let’s see if electrolytes are all that important, how they affect your body, and what supplement should take Gatorade’s place.
It Aids in Digestion
The muscles within your digestive tract need to contract properly in order to help you go to the bathroom. High or low levels of electrolytes can result in diarrhea, constipation, cramping, or hemorrhoids. Nausea may also be a symptom of low sodium levels. Balancing your electrolytes will help you maintain the optimum performance of your digestive system.
It Decreases Fatigue
Without enough electrolytes and fluid, you’ll quickly enter a state of dehydration. Even mild dehydration can cause tiredness and exhaustion. A common symptom of electrolyte imbalance is fatigue. While electrolytes won’t give you an energy boost like a cup of coffee, fueling your body with the right amount of electrolytes will help you maintain your natural energy levels.
It Flushes Out Toxins
Dehydration and a lack of electrolytes interfere with our body’s natural ability to detox. Your body requires blood or fluid to flow and flush out toxins. Adequate fluid volume is essential to keep your kidney (your major detoxifier) functioning. In fact, even mild dehydration can permanently damage your kidneys. Electrolytes, when added to adequate hydration, support your body’s ability to detoxify naturally.
It Aids in Fat Metabolism
Drinking electrolyte water can increase your metabolism and your body’s ability to burn fat. Electrolytes move electrical impulses from cell to cell to stimulate muscle contractions and nerves. They balance fluid in and around your cells and support hydration and blood pH levels. These factors aid in maintaining a healthy metabolism.
It Helps Regulate Hunger
When our body is low on important minerals, it asks us for those minerals by sending us hunger signals. Water can help take up space in the stomach, leading to a feeling of fullness and reducing hunger. Adding supplemental electrolytes prevents a hunger-inducing loss of sodium and other minerals.
It Carries Oxygen to Your Cells
An imbalance of certain minerals, like sodium or potassium, can increase blood volume (which causes blood pressure to increase) or decrease blood volume (which causes low blood pressure). Low blood pressure decreases the flow of oxygen to your cells, which can cause shortness of breath.
It Boosts Immunity
Whether you need to refuel after a tough workout or your body is trying to recover from a cold or flu, electrolytes and proper hydration are key to a strong and resilient immune system. Vitamin C, D3 and Zinc are big layers in your immune system. Plus, without quality electrolytes in your diet, your white blood cells won’t be able to increase your immunity.
Replenishing your electrolytes provides your body with the nutrients you need to counter back, shorten your recovery period, and lessen your symptoms.
It Increases Focus
Brain fog and fatigue are two tell-take symptoms of low electrolytes. Even slight dehydration and electrolyte loss slow productivity.
A 1% drop in hydration can decrease productivity by 12%, lowering cognitive abilities, concentration and alertness, and reaction times. As we become more dehydrated, our effectiveness drops rapidly. A 3-4% decline in hydration can result in a 25% (or more) drop in productivity.
Staying hydrated and keeping your electrolyte levels up, on the other hand, allows you to stay focused for longer.
It Improves Blood Circulation
Electrolyte water is a heart-healthy addition to your routine. Studies show that blood pressure is related to dietary electrolytes. If you consume too much sodium, you can have high blood pressure. You can also have high blood pressure if you have too little potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Finding balance and maintaining adequate electrolytes throughout the day can keep your blood circulating optimally.
It Aids in Healthy Skin
Drinking electrolyte water can hydrate your skin’s natural moisture to protect it from the inside out. Low levels of potassium and sodium electrolytes make our skin vulnerable to dryness and dehydration. Calcium and potassium promote a strong epidermal barrier, promote cell regeneration and improve the fatty acid content of the skin.
It Lubricates Your Joints
70-80% of your joint cartilage consists of water. Synovial fluid is the thick lubrication located between all your joints, giving you a cushion so the bones don’t come in contact.
When hydrated, this gel-like liquid provides nutrition, shock absorption, lubrication, and cushioning in your joints. Instead of friction, your joints can move freely and smoothly. When your body is lacking the fluid and electrolytes it needs, then there is less lubrication in the joints, which leads to the development of joint pain.
It Prevents Constipation
Electrolyte water can keep you regular. Adding electrolytes to your drinking water and beverages will help replace the electrolytes that maintain fluid and pH balance. This simple habit will help your intestinal system to pull in the water it needs to eliminate waste and reduce constipation.
Keep Your Body Balanced with Hi-Lyte
You need to get an adequate amount of electrolytes from your diet to keep your body functioning as it should. You may be low on electrolytes if you experience:
- Muscle cramps
- Headache
- Brain fog
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Lethargy
Try out this clean electrolyte supplement from Ultima to give your body the balance it needs. Get 20% off when you sign up for Ultima’s emails at this link!
