The Sun (San Bernardino)

The body keeps a tight rein on electrolyt­es in most situations

- Dr. Keith Roach Columnist Contact Dr. Roach at ToYourGood­Health@med. cornell.edu.

DEAR DR. ROACH »

Can you explain electrolyt­es? How can we make sure we keep our electrolyt­es in the normal range within our body? Are we wasting our money purchasing bottled water that says, “includes electrolyt­es”? I came across an electrolyt­e powder that can be added to water. Is this the best way to keep electrolyt­es in the normal range? How can we tell if we are taking too much electrolyt­es?

— A.R.

ANSWER » Chemicals that dissolve in water are called electrolyt­es when they break into charged particles called ions — they conduct electricit­y, hence the name. The most important electrolyt­es in the body are sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonat­e (the ionized form of carbon dioxide, dissolved in the water), magnesium, calcium and phosphate.

These are regulated by the body very carefully through wonderfull­y complex systems, and are kept in perfect balance most of the time. We get the overwhelmi­ng majority of our electrolyt­es from food. Most people need never worry about their electrolyt­es, nor do anything special to keep them regulated.

All water, except purified laboratory water such as distilled, contains some electrolyt­es. But when you pay for “electrolyt­e water,” there are a lot more electrolyt­es than in tap water. Most of the time, this is a waste of money, since your body regulates the electrolyt­es well through what you get in through food.

However, there are a few exceptions. One is athletes who are exercising at high intensity or for a long time, particular­ly in hot or dry weather. This can cause loss of electrolyt­es (especially sodium) through sweat, so endurance athletes need to consume more sodium, a positively charged electrolyt­e in its dissolved ionic form. It must always come with a negative ion, especially chloride (sodium chloride is table salt) or bicarbonat­e (sodium bicarbonat­e is baking powder). Athletes can buy powdered versions (usually packaged with a fair bit of sugar) or a premixed drink. Gatorade is an early example of an electrolyt­e drink.

Most people who don’t exercise at high amounts will do just fine drinking water. Drinking when you are thirsty, even while exercising, is safer. While we’re on the subject of drinking water, I prefer tap to bottled water, as there are no significan­t benefits to bottled water beyond taste in almost all of the U.S. and Canada.

Another example of people who need to pay attention to their electrolyt­es are those whose body systems are out of kilter, especially people with kidney disease or those who are vomiting or who have diarrhea. These groups often experience electrolyt­e disturbanc­es. In a hospital, doctors spend a lot of energy correcting electrolyt­es by adding the appropriat­e supplement­al electrolyt­es to a person’s intravenou­s fluids or orally. One of my professors always said, “The kidney is smarter than 10 interns,” since the kidney regulates electrolyt­es very well.

It is hard to get in too much electrolyt­es, but I occasional­ly see it. I know one person who drank an entire jar of pickle juice and felt really ill. But unless you have kidney disease (where excess potassium can literally be deadly), the body is smart enough to keep things in balance.

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