Monday, December 16, 2013

Using Hydrating Water To Restore Healthy Electrolyte Levels

By Cornelia White


It is important to ingest the correct amount of fluid every day but sometimes, it's necessary to supplement fluids with electrolytes as well. When heat waves strike, or during heavy training, one can easily take in too much pure H20, which dilutes salt levels and leads to problems. When sodium quantities are diminished, sickness, seizures and death can result. Hydrating water is a way to prevent this from happening.

The body needs to have balanced levels of glucose, sodium, calcium, potassium, and magnesium if its organs are to function well. An imbalance in any one of these salts can cause cells to swell. Water intoxication causes the brain to malfunction, leading to seizures and cognitive problems. Those who have imbalances of anti-diuretic hormones are particularly prone, since this leads to excessive thirst and kidneys that don't excrete enough fluid.

Those who develop low sodium levels tend not to have dietary insufficiency. Instead, this tends to happen because too much liquid has been taken in, which can happen when there is a hormonal imbalance. Those with heavy exercise programs are particularly prone to this problem, and should add sodium and other salts to their drinking fluids to prevent it.

The body's natural electrolyte balance is delicate, but it affects every cell in the body. The core electrolytes the cells need to function healthily are sodium, chloride, potassium, calcium, phosphate, magnesium, and sulfate. Ready-prepared hydration formulas provide these and other electrolytes as a way to deliver the correct balance of salts and fluids to the cells at times when one is prone to drink more water than is healthy.

Excess perspiration during exercise can cause salt imbalances. When this happens, the most likely issues are low sodium and potassium levels. Those with challenging but short training programs are prone to this problem, while those taking on long distance marathons are more prone to drinking too many fluids. This leads to diminished levels of all salts.

When food poisoning or similar illnesses are suffered, water and electrolytes must be replaced. Sports drinks tend to contain high levels of sugar, which are not healthy when nausea and diarrhea are an issue. Instead, it is best to use sugar and glucose-free preparations that supplement fluids and salts.

Electrolytes all have highly specific purposes. Many of today's health-conscious eaters eliminate sodium from their diets, but this electrolyte is crucial to health. Low levels cause hyponatremia, which can result in seizures, coma and death. Sodium is also an important part of keeping other electrolytes balanced while preventing muscle spasms.

Potassium is an important salt for the heart. It maintains regular cardiac rhythms. It works in the muscles and helps to restore balanced levels of other electrolytes. When there are low potassium levels, side effects include peripheral neuropathy.

When perspiration increases due to heat waves, hydrating water combats several resultant symptoms. It helps to increase blood pressure when it is too low while at the same time restoring a balance of electrolytes. The delicate salt balance needed is best achieved with fluids that are medically formulated, rather than with pure fluids.




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