What are natural electrolytes and why do you need them? Clinically speaking, death occurs when all electrical activity in the brain is gone. For instance, the central nervous system communicates with the body through electrical charges. Electrolytes are minerals that have either a positive or negative charge and are the conductors of the electrical energy in solution within the body. Without them, we cease to exist. In extreme situations, deficiencies in electrolytes can cause sickness and death; chronic deficiencies can be a significant reason for a decline in our health or optimal performance.
Hydration: A Cornerstone to Youthful Health
Many health experts teach that adequate hydration is a cornerstone to maintain or regain good health. Here are some data points that validate the need for proper hydration.
- Water makes up at least 60% of the body and physiological functions occur in solution, further validate the need for proper hydration.
- The older we get the lower our percentage of total body is water. It is therefore logical to presume that adequate hydration helps a person to look and feel younger.
- Dehydration leads to sluggishness and decreased mental clarity.
Water and Natural Electrolytes: The Perfect Combination for Best Hydration
It makes sense that the perfect beverage for hydration starts with purified water, because it is free of contaminants. Reverse osmosis, distilled, and deionized waters are the most common purified waters; however, pure H2O is only half the equation when it comes to hydrating the body.
The other half of the equation is to re-mineralize purified water with minerals for optimal hydration and benefits. The body requires natural electrolytes in order to transport water where it is needed and to be absorbed into cells. The need for electrolytes to help you efficiently hydrate is well known and has been promoted by large beverage companies to sell flavored and colorful sports drinks. However, most people don’t need to supplement with high fructose corn syrup or the additional calories, carbs, or caffeine found in these popular drinks.
Related article: Can you Drink too much Water?
The Best Electrolytes Improve Muscle Function
Whereas calcium and sodium help muscles to contract, magnesium and potassium help muscles relax. A muscle cramp can be experienced when there is a deficiency in magnesium and potassium when muscles don’t properly relax after contracting. It therefore makes sense that magnesium and potassium also help with night muscle cramps. Since these deficiencies can occur when we lose large amounts of fluids, such as when we’re working in the heat or participating in sports or other high exertion activities, supplementing is the logical solution.
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What are Sources of Natural Electrolytes?
Some foods are naturally high in electrolytes. Sodium chloride is not hard to find in modern diets and calcium gets a ton of attention (think: dairy). Instead, I’d like to focus on two key electrolytes that are critical to health and fitness: magnesium and potassium.
- Magnesium: every organ in your body requires magnesium and magnesium is critical to maintain balance of calcium, potassium, zinc, copper and vitamin D levels. It also helps your body produce energy. Magnesium is also important to prevent muscle cramps. The problem is that most people have a hard time getting enough from natural sources (such as nuts, green leafy vegetables and bootstrap molasses). One of the richest natural sources of magnesium chloride is the Great Salt Lake, which is the source for MRI’s elete Electrolytes. Magnesium occurs in the Earth’s seas in similar proportions as found in healthy human fluids.
- Potassium: Lima beans, broccoli, bananas and kiwis are good natural sources of Potassium. Elete electrolytes also contain potassium in ratios needed by the body for hydration and performance.
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Hydration study shows elete Electrolytes Significantly Improve Hydration over pure Water
The University of Montana, Human Performance Department conducted a study to observe the effects of electrolytes on hydration. In actual forest fire fighting conditions, firefighters were randomly separated into a control group which drank only purified water and an experimental group drinking water fortified with MRI’s elete Electrolyte Add-In™. Those drinking plain water consumed over 73% more water than the elete water group, yet there was virtually no difference shown in hydration between groups.
In other words, smoke jumpers who didn’t have elete electrolytes had to consume 73% more water to obtain the same level of hydration.
In other words, smoke jumpers who didn’t have elete electrolytes had to consume 73% more water to obtain the same level of hydration.
Causes of Dehydration
There are specific activities and conditions which cause a higher degree of dehydration.
- Alcohol consumption: Dehydration due to alcohol consumption is one of the primary causes of hangovers.
- Beverages high in sugar and caffeine: These include coffee and soda, also cause dehydration.
- Air travel: Did you know that air travel can cause dehydration? This is because there is virtually no moisture in the air at high altitudes.
- Any strenuous work or sports: Physical activity, especially in the heat, can cause fluid loss. Endurance athletes particularly love elete Electrolytes because they find it difficult to stay adequately hydrated and cramp-free otherwise.
- Illness: vomiting, diarrhea and other illnesses can lead to dehydration. Keep some electrolytes in your medicine cabinet for times when a family member loses large amounts of fluids because of illness.
Related article: Saltwater hydration? The Surprising Science of Electrolytes and Dehydration
Electrolytes boost Energy
The best electrolytes not only conduct electrical activity in the body but are also used to maintain the energy we need to keep moving. It is interesting to note here that people love their caffeine because of the short-term boost in energy they feel. However, it is often followed by an energy low. Caffeine depletes magnesium, which is used in the A.T.P process of converting calories into energy. Extra magnesium is very important when we consume caffeine to help avoid the energy “crash”.
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One Source of Natural Electrolytes – elete
elete Electrolyte Add-In™ and elete Citrilyte And-In™ are pure electrolytes from a natural source (the Great Salt Lake) that can be added to any beverage, including purified water, to turn it into a high-performance electrolyte drink. The 25 ml. pocket bottle can conveniently go with you anywhere: in a purse, pocket, or gym bag. It is small enough to be carried on a plane and makes two and a half gallons of the best electrolyte drink available.
Use the cap to measure a perfect dose of electrolytes for 16, 24, or 32-ounce bottles. While the larger bottles are the most economical, they also pair nicely with the conveniently refillable pocket bottles. You can even pop off the dropper tip to refill it from an economy size bottle, then just replace it. If you use a hydration bladder, elete Electrolytes Add-In™ and elete Citrilyte Add-In™ are perfect because they clean up like water and aren’t going to grow a science project like other sticky sports drinks.
The Best Electrolyte Supplements Available
Mineral Resources International proudly offers the best electrolyte supplements available, elete Electrolyte Add-In™ (elete) and elete Citrilyte Add-In™ (Citrilyte) are excellent for times of high exertion and fluid loss. High-performance athletes, especially endurance athletes, as well as those working day jobs in the heat, experience amazing results with improved performance.
elete Electrolyte Add-In™ is an all-natural, pure, liquid electrolyte concentrate which has no added sugar, calories, added flavor, or anything artificial. This electrolyte complex has an amazing balance of magnesium, chloride, potassium, and sodium, and can help guard against trace mineral deficiency because it contains the full spectrum of minerals and trace minerals found in the seas. . This product contains all you need for efficient hydration without all the stuff you don’t need. Elete is so concentrated that the 8.3-ounce (250 ml.) bottle makes 25 gallons of electrolyte water.
elete Citrilyte Add-In™ has the same basic mineral balance as original elete, but with just enough citric acid for flavor and nutrition. When added into water, Citrilyte tastes like pure water with a refreshing twist of lemon. Plus, with its extreme concentration, an 8.3-ounce (250 ml.) bottle makes 20 gallons of refreshing performance water with a hint of lemon.
In addition, MRI offers Sea M.D.®, which is low in sodium, supports daily hydration, and supports general health and wellbeing. It is perfect for everyday use because it is all natural, low in sodium, rich in ionic magnesium, and naturally balanced from the pristine north shores of the Great Salt Lake in Utah. Sea M.D®. is so concentrated that you only need a half teaspoon, or 2-3 ml, in a gallon of water. It not only helps to hydrate more efficiently, it improves the flavor of purified water, which increases the desire to drink more.
