Electricity and Your Body Charge It Up

Recharge Vitamin C Drink

ELECTROLYTES

On an average day, your body produces about 100 watts of electricity.

Electrolytes take on a positive or negative charge when they dissolve in your body fluid. This enables them to conduct electricity and move electrical charges or signals throughout your body. These charges are crucial to many functions that keep you alive, including the operation of your brain, nerves, and muscles, and the creation of new tissue.

Each electrolyte plays a specific role in your body. The following are some of the most important electrolytes and their primary functions:

Sodium

helps control fluids in the body, impacting blood pressure

necessary for muscle and nerve function

helps balance electrolytes

Chloride

helps balance electrolytes

balances acidity and alkalinity, which helps maintain a healthy pH

essential to digestion

Potassium

regulates your heart and blood pressure

helps balance electrolytes

aids in transmitting nerve impulses

contributes to bone health

necessary for muscle contraction

Magnesium

important to the production of DNA and RNA 

contributes to nerve and muscle function

helps maintain heart rhythm

helps regulate blood glucose levels

enhances your immune system

Calcium

key component of bones and teeth

important to the movement of nerve impulses and muscle movement

contributes to blood clotting

Phosphate

strengthens bones and teeth 

helps cells produce the energy needed for tissue growth and repair

Bicarbonate

helps your body maintain a healthy pH

regulates heart function

IMBALANCE

When Electrolytes Become Unbalanced

Fluids are found inside and outside the cells of your body. The levels of these fluids should be fairly consistent. On average, about 40 percent of fluids are inside the cells and 20 percent are outside the cells. Electrolytes help your body juggle these values in order to maintain a healthy balance inside and outside your cells.

It’s normal for electrolyte levels to fluctuate. Sometimes, though, your electrolyte levels can become imbalanced. This can result in your body creating too many or not enough minerals or electrolytes. A number of things can cause an electrolyte imbalance, including:

• fluid loss from heavy exercise or physical activity
• vomiting and diarrhea
• medications such as diuretics, antibiotics, and chemotherapy drugs
• alcoholism and cirrhosis of the liver
• heart failure
• kidney disease
• diabetes
• eating disorders
• severe burns
• some forms of cancer