The Effects of Electrolyte Imbalances

Electrolytes are essential for maintaining good health. They are essential vitamins and minerals that your body needs to run efficiently. Some of these minerals are sodium, calcium, and potassium. Without the proper balance of your electrolytes, you will notice that you do not have enough energy for your day to day activities. This imbalance is usually brought on by excessive loss of bodily fluids including vomiting, diarrhea, and sweating. 

Having enough electrolytes is especially important for those who work out in cold climates. During cold weather, your body will work harder to move efficiently. Not only can this cause more calories burned, but it also causes your body to lose more water through exhalation. To continue training in the cold while maintaining good body health, ensure you are supplementing the sweat you lose with electrolytes. 

An imbalance of electrolytes can cause symptoms depending on the type of imbalance. The symptoms are different and you may be able to tell which type of balance you are experiencing. For low levels of electrolytes, you may experience: 

• Fatigue
• Muscle weakness
• Cramps

On the other side of the coin, you can experience symptoms with higher levels of electrolytes. While you need electrolytes to function properly, you can have too much. These symptoms can include:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Tremors

There are various ways that your electrolytes can become improperly balanced. This can happen through:

• Dehydration- You lose an abundance of water through your sweat, urination, and exhalation. If you are having an especially heavy workout, you need to drink water before, during, and after to replenish the water lost. 
• Excessive sweating- As stated above, heavy workouts usually yield a lot of sweat. Your sweat will easily diminish your water levels and this will cause you to lose essential electrolytes. Quickly replenish your water after a workout and think about adding an electrolyte supplement to ensure you are properly balanced. 
• Vomiting and diarrhea- These bodily fluids can cause you to become dehydrated quickly. When these symptoms occur, continue pushing fluids to replace the fluids you are losing. 
• Certain medications- Depending on the type of medication, you may notice a side effect that your electrolytes are off balance. This could be regulated through increased water and electrolyte supplements. 
• Chronic health conditions- Some medical conditions can naturally cause your body to become imbalanced with electrolytes. This could be through thyroid disorders, cirrhosis, or congestive heart failure. 

Avoiding unbalanced electrolytes is possible. This can be done through various ways: 

• Stay hydrated- You want to ensure you are staying hydrated, especially if you work out or experience any other significant loss of body fluid. You can carry around a water filter bottle to keep on you for easy access for hydration. 
• Balanced diet- Eating a balanced diet will help provide minerals and vitamins you need to balance out your electrolytes, as well as count towards your water intake if the food has enough water content. 
• Replenish electrolytes- If you are partaking in vigorous exercise, it is crucial you replenish your water levels. When working out, you lose a lot of sweat through perspiration and can easily become dehydrated. As well as intense workouts, you will lose a lot of body fluid during hot weather. You can easily replace your electrolytes by supplementing with Vitalyte. 

Although electrolyte imbalances can seem worrisome, it usually is an easy fix. To properly balance these essential vitamins and minerals, you can:

• Incorporate electrolyte dense fluids such as Vitalyte into your diet. These fluids will help replenish your electrolytes to ensure you are properly balanced and feeling great.
• If electrolyte fluids do not work, there are medications available to help balance out your electrolytes.