Why Are Electrolytes So Important?

By Art Zemach, MD As an endurance athlete, chances are you've heard about the importance of maintaining electrolyte balance during and after exercise. If an athlete doesn't successfully manage electrolyte intake, a whole range of medical conditions can arise, from simply feeling nauseous or getting muscle cramps to serious conditions including dehydration and hyponatremia. Electrolytes are an essential part of fueling and a crucial part of Tailwind's formula. Let's take a deeper look at what they are and why we need them.

What are electrolytes?

Electrolytes are minerals that form ions, or electrically charged particles, in the body. Salt, for example, is made up of one positive sodium ion (Na+) and one negative chloride ion (Cl-). When salt dissolves in water, these ions separate from each other. This new saltwater solution can conduct electricity and is known as an electrolyte solution.

Electrolytes are found in blood, urine, tissues, and other bodily fluids, and our bodies can't function properly without them. They play a number of vital roles in the body, such as:

• balancing the amount of water in our bodies
• helping to carry nutrients to our cells and help remove waste
• balancing the body's pH level
• maintaining optimal function of our nerves, muscles, heart, and brain

If we're not careful, electrolyte levels can become unbalanced during long periods of exertion, especially if we're exercising in hot weather. First and foremost, we lose electrolytes through sweat. We can also develop too little fluid in our bodies by not drinking enough. The opposite is also true, and electrolyte levels can be diluted by excessive fluid intake.

Instead of forcing athletes to supplement their fuel sources with extra electrolytes and complicated calculations, we've made sure that Endurance Fuel has the perfect balance of sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium for during exercise. We've also added the same amount of electrolytes to Rebuild Recovery to keep restoring electrolytes after intense exertion.

While mineral content varies from person to person, a liter of sweat generally contains 0.9g sodium, 0.2g potassium, 0.015g calcium, and 0.0013g magnesium, plus traces of other minerals.

Sodium

Sodium attracts and holds onto water, so the sodium in blood helps maintain the liquid portion of the blood. Sodium is the main positively charged ion outside our body cells and is mostly found in blood, plasma, and lymph fluid. This creates half of the electrical pump that keeps electrolytes balanced between the intracellular and extracellular environments – with sodium outside the cells and potassium inside the cells.

An excess of sodium in bodily fluids is called hypernatremia and is caused by too little water in our bodies (usually caused by dehydration). Hyponatremia is when we have too little sodium, which can be caused by drinking only water without added electrolytes. To prevent hypernatremia or hyponatremia, you need to make sure you're consuming the right portions of sodium with your water. Don't worry – we've made it easy for you by adding the perfect amount of sodium to Endurance Fuel and Rebuild Recovery, so you don't have to calculate, guess, or substitute with tablets/pills.

Potassium

Potassium is the main positively charged ion inside cells, with sodium outside cells, forming the other half of the electrical pump that keeps electrolytes balanced. It's extremely important for regulating heart rate and muscle function, enables conductivity between cells, and is a crucial part of neuron transmission. We lose potassium when we sweat, so it's also an essential part of our Endurance Fuel and Rebuild Recovery.

Calcium

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the human body and is essential for the formation of bones and teeth. It's also critical for nerve impulse transmission, blood clotting, and muscle contraction. During exercise, calcium-dependent enzymes produce energy from the conversion of fatty acids and amino acids. In efforts lasting more than two hours, this can provide 60-65% of our energy needs. Because fatty acids are such an important fuel during endurance training, it's crucial to have enough calcium available to convert them into energy efficiently. If there isn't enough calcium in our blood, the body pulls it from our bones to make up the shortfall. You guessed it, all our products contain calcium too.

Magnesium

The fourth most abundant mineral in the human body, magnesium helps maintain normal nerve and muscle function, supports the immune system, maintains a stable heart rhythm, stabilizes blood sugar levels, and promotes the formation of bones and teeth. In fact, it's necessary for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body and essential for every cell of every living organism.

Like the interdependence between sodium and potassium, magnesium and calcium are also physiological partners. When calcium flows into working muscle cells, the muscle contracts. When calcium leaves and magnesium replaces it, the muscle relaxes. Many of the enzymatic reactions needed to convert fuel into muscle energy happen as a result of sufficient magnesium. (Yes, we've got magnesium too.)

The Bottom Line

Planned and consistent electrolyte intake during endurance training is critical. We don't want to overload our bodies with too many minerals. Instead, we aim to steadily maintain and optimize normal body function. Tailwind Endurance Fuel and Rebuild Recovery contain just the right amount of sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium to make up for losses.

We Are Your Support Crew

As always, we're here to answer any questions you have about this article, fueling, training, or racing. Get in touch with us at xander@tailwindnutrition.shop !