People following a ketogenic diet will often hear or read about
electrolytes. What are electrolytes exactly and what’s the importance of it,
especially when you’re living a keto lifestyle? By reading this article, you’ll
soon have the answers.
What
are electrolytes?
Electrolytes are essential minerals that you need for many
vital functions, as they spark your cells throughout your body. Chemically
speaking electrolytes – or essential minerals – carry positive and negative
ions that have an electric charge when they are dissolved in liquid (your blood
or sweat, for instance).
The
‘sparks’ that are formed when these minerals are dissolved, are used in many
metabolic processes. One of those important roles is that electrolytes keep you
hydrated [1], but they also support a healthy muscle function [2] and nerve
system [3].
Important electrolytes that your body needs are:
- Sodium
- Potassium
- Chloride
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Phosphate
- Bicarbonate
The
importance of electrolytes in a ketogenic diet explained
So
why is it that electrolytes are especially important when following a ketogenic
diet? Aren’t they important for everyone? Well… yes, everyone needs a good
balance of electrolytes to keep hydrated and a body that functions normally.
But it’s especially important for Ketonians, here’s why:
When
eating keto, you greatly reduce the amount of carbs in your diet. As a result,
your insulin levels drop. This is a good thing! But it also has some other
effects:
- You lose a lot of water
- With this water, you lose essential minerals, like sodium,
magnesium
Losing more water is not so much the problem; losing essential
minerals, however, is something you do want to avoid. Therefore, it’s extra
important to watch your electrolyte balance when you’re following a ketogenic
diet.
SUMMARY
Electrolytes are essential minerals that your body needs for
many key functions. As you lose extra electrolytes when following a ketogenic
lifestyle, you need to watch this balance carefully.
Signs of low electrolyte levels
When
important minerals, like sodium, magnesium, and potassium, aren’t in balance in
your body, you may notice some unpleasant signs, like:
- Nausea
- Muscle cramps
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Palpitations
- Fatigue
- Heavy legs
These
are all signs it could be helpful to do something about your electrolyte
balance. Some people who have just started eating keto also experience these
symptoms. The common name for these symptoms at the beginning of your keto
adventure is the ‘keto flu’. The symptoms are not felt as strong by everyone
who starts with a ketogenic diet. However, studies have shown [4] that
electrolyte loss and dehydration can amplify or even be the main cause of the
keto flu.
So
keep up your electrolytes, especially at the start of your keto lifestyle! You
don’t know how to do this? Don’t worry, let us help you out.
How
to keep up your electrolytes
There
are a few basics that are important to know about replenishing your
electrolytes. We’ve put up a list of important thoughts to keep in
mind:
- Consuming electrolytes through your diet is the best way to
replenish
- Foods like watermelon, avocado, and chicken are rich in
electrolytes
- Drinks like pure fruit juice, coconut juice, and sport drinks
are rich in electrolytes, but be warned, these are usually full of
carbs!
- Try to avoid exercising outdoors during the hottest time of
day, as excessive sweating can cause your electrolytes to drop
- Drink a lot of water, but not too much, as you can also flush
electrolytes out of your body if you drink too much
- Watch your electrolyte balance especially when you’re sick or
had a workout
SUMMARY
An
imbalance of electrolytes is related to dehydration, excessive sweating, and
(switching to) a keto diet. It is important to eat food and drink beverages
that are rich in electrolytes.
Electrolyte supplements: what to look for?
Apart
from consuming foods and drinks that are rich in electrolytes, you can also
choose to implement electrolyte supplements into your diet to keep up this
balance. It can be beneficial for all kinds of people, for instance people
who:
- Exercise for longer than an hour
- Don’t have time to eat a healthy, balanced diet every
day
- Are exposed to high temperatures for a long time
- Suffer from a disease
- Sweat intensively, for instance during or after
exercise
Supplements with electrolytes help your body to keep up its
level of minerals. Electrolyte supplements come in different forms. There are
for instance tablets, sport drinks, gels, powders, and capsules.
When
you’re looking for a supplement, there are a few things you need to keep in
mind. This is what you need to know:
- Sugar - Some electrolyte-rich
sport drinks contain a lot of sugar in the form of glucose. When in ketosis or
on another low carb diet, you will want to avoid these.
- Allergens – Usually, electrolyte
supplements only contain minerals, and allergies for minerals are very, very
rare. However, when you choose a supplement that also contains whey protein or
maltodextrin, you need to be more careful if you, for instance, have a lactose
allergy or celiac disease.
- Amount of electrolytes – The
standard electrolyte supplements contain as much electrolytes as naturally
occur in your body. We call these isotonic supplements and it’s best to use
them for short, intensive workouts. When you exercise long (more than 3 hours,
but not too intensely, it’s better to choose the hypotonic supplements. For
extreme sports and exercising, it’s best to go for the hypertonic
supplements.
- Calories – Make sure the
supplement of your choice doesn’t contain too many calories. Sport drinks with
electrolytes usually contain more calories, as they contain more sugar. If you
don’t exercise that much, it’s better to choose another supplement.
- Taste – I know, you don’t like
the taste of some supplements and you prefer a supplement with a nice tropical,
fruit forest, or lime taste. However, don’t forget that this often means
artificial sweeteners and flavoring are added. If you don’t want these, try one
with a natural taste.
Conclusion
Electrolytes are important, as your body needs these ‘sparks of
energy’ to keep going and to stay healthy. When you’re eating keto, you need to
pay special attention to your electrolyte balance, as you lose more fluids and
thus also more electrolytes.
Consuming healthy, natural, and pure foods is a good way to
replenish your body with electrolytes. If you’re not sure this is enough, or if
you, for instance, exercise heavily, supplements can be very useful.
