Disclaimer: Not Medical Advice. Opinions are my own.
In today's bonus newsletter, we will explore the importance of electrolytes and why optimizing your hydration will benefit many of you.
I recommend you speak with your physician before changing your diet or supplementation.
If you have pre-hypertension, hypertension, or abnormal kidneys - do not increase your salt intake.
How Much Water Should You Drink Per Day?
Many of us need to drink more water.
Studies show that being well-hydrated increases physical performance, cognitive function, digestion, and kidney health.
If you don't have a water bottle to take everywhere, get one.
For the next week, make a conscious effort to see how much water you consume on average.
The easy hydration rule is:
Total Body Weight (pounds) / 2 =
Daily Amount of Water (ounces)
If you weigh 150 pounds, then you should try to drink 75 ounces of water.
Now, this doesn't account for any water loss during physical exertion.
Use this equation to adjust for physical activity:
Total Body Weight (pounds) / 30 = Amount of Water Loss per 15 minutes of Exertion (ounces)
For example, if you weigh 150 pounds and go for a 30-minute run, you will lose 10 ounces of water during your run.
However, water isn't the only thing you lose during exertion. Sodium, Magnesium, and Potassium are also lost.
Another reason why I start my day off with an LMNT packet.
Let's dive deeper.
What Role Does Electrolytes Play in Our Bodies?
Salt, sodium chloride, is one of the most essential electrolytes in your body.
Sodium helps with:
Fluid Regulation: Sodium helps regulate the balance of fluids in and out of your cells. This is essential for maintaining hydration, particularly during exercise when you lose fluids through sweat.
Nerve Function: Sodium is crucial to nerve impulses. It ensures that your brain can signal your muscles, telling them when to contract.
Muscle Contraction: Proper muscle function relies on the right balance of sodium. Without it, muscles can cramp or become weak, hindering your performance.
Sodium in Neurotransmission
Bear with me here.
Our bodies utilize neurons to send messages/information all across the body.
When we want to flex our muscles, neurons fire instantaneously, telling our muscles to flex.
Sodium and potassium are the key ingredients that pass this signal from one neuron to the next with polarity.
As you can see in the diagram above, Sodium (Na+) and Potassium (K+) pass in and out of the neuron to help pass the signal through our body.
Without sufficient sodium, neurons could not generate or propagate action potentials effectively.
Foods That Replace Electrolytes
Sodium: Table Salt and Pink Himalayan Salt
Magnesium: Spinach, Almonds, Cashews, Black Beans, and Avocados
Potassium: Bananas, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatoes, White Beans, Kidney Beans, Tuna, and Avocados
Supplements: LMNT
Takeaways
Unlike carb loading, where you can eat and store carbs to prepare for a physically taxing event like a race. Our body has a limited store of electrolytes. We must replenish lost minerals from sleep, physical exertion, and normal body functions.
Again, if you don't have pre-hypertension, hypertension, or abnormal kidneys - your body will utilize the necessary electrolytes and excrete the rest.
Make hydration a priority, and watch how much better you feel.
All the best,
Jeremy London, MD
