Most people are interested in an electrolyte supplement because they feel the full effects of high-intensity exercise routines. It’s all fun and games after all, till you experience a cramp that makes you feel a connection with all that is holy. But contrary to popular belief, electrolyte powders are not only suitable for after-gym care, or for athletes who try to improve their margins for maximum strength and endurance output. Yes, electrolyte powders help with this, and can, in some cases, be a strong boost for your sporting performance. But they are also useful for individuals like me, who only remember what gyms look like thanks to Instagram videos.
An electrolyte supplement can help tremendously if you get dehydrated after an intensive exercise routine. But the thing is, since we live in Australia, we are all pretty much predisposed to dehydration at any given moment. In 2020, for example, the peak heat in Penrith reached an all-time high of 48.9 degrees Celsius. And even last week, on 10th of January, Sydney topped 42°C for the second time in thirteen years. We live in a hot and arid country, which pushes our bodies' cooling ability to the limit. Therefore, dehydration, for many of us, has transformed into a reality of living our everyday life during Aussie summers.
An electrolyte supplement can make you more hydrated, give you more energy, reduce your brain fog and relieve your headaches, as your body will more easily retain the minerals and liquids it requires for proper functioning. Likewise, you should experience a reduction in muscle cramps, less post-exercise fatigue, and see a significant boost in your maximum physical output. It’s not magic, it’s science. But what about the connection between keto and electrolytes?
A Necessary Mineral Aid
The keto diet works by significantly cutting down the consumption of carbohydrates and replacing those carbs with health fats, which in turn forces the body to enter a metabolic state called ketosis, in which it no longer relies on glucose for energy needs but rather it starts to burn its stored fat deposits, which as you can probably guess has the added effect of slimming you down. Keto is probably one of the most well-studied and efficient diets out there, but it also comes with its own set of risks, as reducing the number of carbs you consume can also lead to an imbalance of your blood’s electrolyte levels.
The keto diet causes the body’s insulin levels to drop, which in turn will make your kidneys eliminate more sodium. Where is sodium, there is water and where is water excretion, there’s also loss in potassium, calcium and magnesium. One of the main reasons why the keto diet is so efficient compared to other weight loss methods is that, at first, most people lose around 2-3 kg of water weight alone. That said, the side effect of the keto diet is that you will disrupt the body’s normal electrolyte levels.
Keto And Electrolytes Are Like a Symbiotic Relationship
Each gram of glycogen stores around 3 grams of water, and since in keto, the production of glycogen is limited, your body will automatically start to eliminate excess water. But as you can probably imagine, electrolyte loss can lead to side effects, which in turn can have a negative effect on your maximum physical output and also limit your endurance and overall well-being. Keto and electrolytes go together like peanut butter and jelly. An electrolyte supplement will restore your body’s proper sodium levels, which, in itself, should also make it so you are no longer excreting potassium and magnesium.
The sodium in a high-quality electrolyte supplement should help with your body’s blood pressure, make it so you no longer experience fatigue spells, and also positively impact your energy levels. Meanwhile, the potassium and magnesium in the supplement you ingest should make you calmer, eliminate cramps, help with unusual muscle contractions, and also pretty much make your headaches go away.
The connection between keto and electrolytes is well-understood. At least in the first two weeks after you start the diet, your body will eliminate most of its excess water weight and will start to process and burn its stored fat reserves for extra energy. Not going to lie, it will not be the most pleasant experience. I tried this diet once, a couple of years ago, and while it did work, the fatigue I felt made other people think I was going down with the flu. I made a mistake, however. I didn’t do my research and I haven’t considered the effects that electrolytes can have on the body during the ketosis stage. An electrolyte supplement probably would’ve helped. But you know what they say. Sometimes you need to mess up a bit in order to learn a lesson.
Are There Other Reasons for Investing in Electrolytes?
Quite a few, in fact. The connection between keto and electrolytes is well-discussed in scientific literature, but did you know that during illness, electrolyte and fluid loss is heightened? Each time you have a fever, your body will trigger sweating as the main way to reduce internal temperature and thus cool down. Sweating more profusely, however, is associated with increased electrolyte losses, which in turn can aggravate your unpleasant-enough symptoms. Things get even more intense if we are talking about food poisoning.
One time, in Bali, I had the great idea to try out a local delicacy called Babi Guling. Taste? Amazing. The food poisoning that followed? Not that amazing. The only thing that really helped, after a couple of hours of intense vomiting, was to drink two electrolyte drinks recommended by a nearby local doctor. Since food poisoning often makes us lose huge amounts of sodium, chloride and potassium in a short amount of time, electrolytes represent one of the first things you need to replenish, after you are able to keep fluids down. In fact, if things turn for the worse and you need an IV, the first thing your doctor will administer into your bloodstream will probably be a mix of fluids with added electrolytes.