What Is The Fluid And Electrolyte Balance?

The fluid and electrolyte balance is a concept that aims to maintain a proper balance between hydration and mineral supply. A fault in one of these two components can cause harmful effects on the body. Certain mineral deficiencies, such as sodium (hyponatremia), can even be fatal.

For this reason, we will explain all about the most important functions when it comes to the body’s most important electrolytes. We will also give you a number of recommendations to ensure that you consume the amount you need and thus prevent imbalances.

Electrolytes

Electrolytes are ionized minerals that perform various functions in the human body. Many of them are related to maintaining osmotic balance or transmitting the nerve impulse.

Let’s take a look at the most important ones.

Sodium

Sodium is one of the most abundant minerals in the world. As we mentioned earlier, a deficiency of this mineral can cause a condition known as hyponatremia. Sodium is an important nutrient in the transmission of the nerve impulse and our lives depend on it.

Furthermore, it plays an important role in maintaining our blood pressure, as shown in research published in Nutrients. Sodium is a very thirsty compound, so it binds to the water, which increases the tension when ingested in excess of much.

Fortunately , almost all the foods in our diet contain this mineral. For this reason, it is quite difficult to actually suffer from a deficit. In fact, this is only possible in cases of excessive sweating as well as in hot and humid environments.

Endurance athletes who compete in hot environments should monitor the intake of this mineral. They can do this by drinking beverages with accurate measurements of sodium.

Calcium

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the human body. It is an important part of our legs. It increases bone density and reduces the risk of fractures. This mineral becomes crucial when the goal is to prevent the demineralization of bones caused by menopause, as current scientific evidence confirms.

In addition, this nutrient also plays a role in the transmission of the nerve impulse and in the muscle contractions, both in the heart and the skeletal muscles. For this reason, it is important to ensure adequate levels in the body.

Potassium

Potassium is involved in the transmission of nerve impulses, but it also regulates blood pressure by exerting a hypotensive effect, unlike sodium. According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Hypertension , regular intake of this mineral helps to lower blood pressure. We can therefore recommend it for people with this condition.

How to maintain fluid and electrolyte balance?

In order to maintain the fluid and electrolyte balance, it is first and foremost important to guarantee an adequate fluid intake. You do not have to wait until you are thirsty to ingest fluids since the body only activates this mechanism when one is already dehydrated.

It is recommended to drink small amounts of fresh water quite often as well as avoid carbonated beverages or soft drinks to fulfill this function. It has been demonstrated that routine sugar intake is harmful to health.

Guarantee your mineral intake to maintain fluid and electrolyte balance

To improve your mineral intake , we recommend that you salt your food a little more than normal when you exercise in a warm environment. Doing so reduces the risk of hyponatremia.

In the case of people with a sedentary lifestyle, the intake of sodium should be adapted to the diet. However, it should be limited in the case of arterial hypertension.

It is best to eat a varied and balanced diet, and especially one that is rich in vegetables. Fruits and vegetables stand out for their content of micronutrients. For this reason, 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 prevent problems related to bone density. With this goal in mind, we can increase our intake of dairy products, nuts or cold-water fish. Canned sardines are, for example, one of the most recommended foods for preventing osteoporosis in women.

Maintain fluid and electrolyte balance to guarantee good health

As you have seen, maintaining an adequate electrolyte balance is crucial when the goal is to improve health or prevent a drop in performance during a sporting event.

Fortunately, it is very easy to get the mineral intake that your body needs by following the advice we have given you in this article. If you consume vegetables regularly along with dairy products and cold water fish, it is very unlikely that you will suffer from any kind of deficiency of these micronutrients.

However, if you suffer from an illness, we always recommend talking to a medical professional. Remember that people with hypertension, for example, should not overdo salt intake.