What Exactly Is The Hydro-electrolyte Balance?

The hydro-electrolyte balance is a concept that aims to maintain a good balance between hydration and the supply of minerals. A defect in one of these two components can cause harmful effects to the body.

Certain mineral deficiencies such as sodium can even be fatal. For this reason, we are going to explain all about the most important functions related to the most important electrolytes for our body.

We’ll also give you a series of recommendations to make sure you’re getting the amount you need to avoid imbalances and problems.

Electrolytes

Electrolytes are ionized minerals that perform various functions in the human body. Many of them relate to the maintenance of the osmotic balance or the transmission of the nerve impulses. Let’s take a closer look at the most important electrolytes.

Sodium

Sodium is one of the most abundant minerals on Earth. The deficiency, as we mentioned earlier, causes a condition known as hyponatremia. Sodium is an essential nutrient in nerve impulse transmission and our lives depend on it.

In addition, it plays an important role in maintaining our blood pressure, as shown by research published in Nutrients . Sodium easily binds to water, which will raise blood pressure when consumed in excess.

Almost all foods in our diet contain sodium. For this reason, it is quite difficult to actually suffer from a deficiency. In fact, this is usually only likely in cases of excessive sweating and in hot and humid environments.

Endurance athletes who train in hot environments should monitor their intake of the mineral. They can do this by drinking beverages with precise amounts of this mineral. Isotonic sports drinks can help meet the specific requirements of athletes.

Calcium

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the human body. It is an important part of our bones, increasing density and reducing the risk of fractures.

This mineral becomes fundamental when the goal is to prevent bone demineralization due to menopause, as current scientific evidence confirms.

In addition, this nutrient also plays a role in the transmission of nerve impulses and muscle contractions, both of the cardiac and skeletal muscles. For this reason, it is essential to ensure that there is enough calcium in the body.

Potassium

Potassium is involved in the transmission of nerve impulses, but it also regulates blood pressure by exerting a hypotensive effect. This is in contrast to the effect of sodium.

According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Hypertension , regular intake of the mineral can help lower blood pressure, so we can recommend it to people with hypertension. Here too, however, excess can be harmful.

How can you maintain hydro-electrolyte balance?

In order to maintain the hydro-electrolyte balance, it is first and foremost essential to consume enough water. You don’t have to wait until you’re thirsty to drink something. The body only activates this mechanism when a significant loss has already occurred.

It is advisable to drink a glass of water regularly and avoid carbonated or soft drinks as much as possible to fulfill this function. It has been shown in studies that regularly consuming sugars is harmful to health.

Pay attention to mineral intake to maintain hydro-electrolyte balance

To improve your mineral intake, we recommend that you salt food a little more than usual if you exercise a lot in very hot conditions. By doing this, you reduce your risk of hyponatremia.

• In the case of people with a sedentary lifestyle, sodium intake should be adjusted according to their nutritional needs.
• However, intake should be limited in case of arterial hypertension.

It is best to consume a varied and balanced diet, which is especially rich in vegetables. Fruits and vegetables stand out for their high micronutrient content. They have a remarkable mineral content that can help prevent deficiencies that affect our health.

Finally, we must guarantee a daily intake of calcium to avoid problems related to bone density.

• With this goal in mind, we can increase our consumption of dairy products, nuts and green leafy vegetables.
• In addition, canned sardines, for example, are one of the most recommended foods to help prevent osteoporosis in women.

Maintain hydro-electrolyte balance to ensure your health

As you have seen, maintaining a good hydro-electrolyte balance is essential if the goal is to improve health or prevent performance loss during a sporting event.

Fortunately, it’s very easy to get the mineral intake your body needs by following the advice we’ve given you in this article. If you regularly eat vegetables along with fruits and dairy products, it is very unlikely that you will be deficient in these micronutrients.

However, if you suffer from an illness, we always recommend that you contact a doctor. Always remember that people with hypertension, for example, should not overdo their salt intake.