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But, it's got electrolytes.



There is a great scene in Idiocracy where they admit to watering the plants with sports drinks, because it’s got electrolytes, it’s got what plants crave.” And Luke Wilson asks “what is an electrolyte anyway?” (Not a direct quote, just go watch the movie.)

Electrolytes aren’t just what plants crave or an REM song, they are really important to keeping you alive. They help regulate hydration, pH balance (as we found out in a previous post), and keep your muscles and nerves in check. If your levels get too low, you will die.

We did an experiment in grade school where we connected a pickle to two pieces of copper and the pickle lit up. We couldn't figure out why at the time, but the key was the sodium in the pickling solution. Sodium can conduct electricity when mixed with water, an electrolyte. Some other examples include potassium, calcium, bicarbonate, magnesium, chloride, and phosphate. When you get a Charley Horse in your calf muscle, it's good to eat a banana because it helps restore lost potassium.

Each electrolyte helps your body do something different. Bicarbonate is good for the heart and helps keep your body's pH balanced. In addition to being important for bone health, Calcium helps with nerve impulses and muscle movement as well as blood clotting. Chloride is good for digestion and balances pH levels. Magnesium is vital to DNA and RNA production, regulates blood glucose, and prevents arrhythmia. Phosphate helps cells create the energy they need to repair and grow. As already mentioned, Potassium is necessary for muscle contraction, but also affects blood pressure, and keeps bones healthy. Sodium affects the way your muscles and nerves function as well as the fluids in your body, and regulates blood pressure.   


Electrolyte imbalance is serious stuff. When your blood's concentration of electrolytes is too high, it can cause water to leave your cells, leaving them to contract and eventually stop functioning. This is a hypertonic state. If your blood's concentration is too low, water will flow into the cells until they burst, a hypotonic state. Hypotonic states can occur when you drink too much water (several gallons). Luckily, you can rely on your kidneys to help balance the electrolyte levels. Your hormones will also help keep your levels where they should be.

The average person should be able to maintain healthy levels of all of the electrolytes by eating a variety of whole foods. Those with hormone imbalances, kidney challenges or athletes should pay attention to their bodies to help keep those electrolyte levels where they should be.

Check My Sources:
https://medlineplus.gov/fluidandelectrolytebalance.html
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/153188.php
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/muscle-cramp/symptoms-causes/syc-20350820
http://www.ilpi.com/msds/ref/electrolyte.html
https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/how-to-prevent-an-electrolyte-imbalance#treatment
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