You have surely heard of electrolytes in the context of working out. Every sports drink has them. But what exactly they are may be a bit more of a mystery to even the most avid workout enthusiast. That’s why today we wanted to walk you through what exactly electrolytes are, and why they are so vital for you while you are in motion or going through a workout.
What Are Electrolytes?
Electrolytes, on a scientific level, are substances with a positive or negative charge when they enter water. Since we are approximately 60% water, most cells and fluids in our bodies have electrolytes present. Electrolytes are essential minerals in your body that are key to many different functions and help keep you going. Those minerals include things like sodium, potassium, and calcium, among others. These are minerals that we have highlighted before when talking about what nutrients are key for working out, and they are minerals that both aminoVITAL’s Action and Rapid Recovery packs have, which will help ensure you to be the best version of you that you can be while getting through a training or workout session.
Why Are Electrolytes Important?
Electrolytes are essential in keeping you hydrated, so as to avoid dehydration while going through extreme activity, and also in avoiding muscle cramps. In addition to that, they also help our blood clot, help to build new tissue, and keep the pH level in our blood at a regular level. Electrolytes aren’t just important for working out and supplying us with energy. They also play vital roles in regulating chemical reactions in our body while also maintaining the balance of fluid in our cells. When we lose electrolytes through workouts via sweat, it is extremely important to replenish our supply to avoid fatigue. It is also why, when we are ill, sports drinks are a good option, because we need to recover some of those lost electrolytes to restore a balance in our body to avoid becoming dehydrated.
What Does Each Electrolyte Do?
There are plenty of electrolytes in our body, and each has a different task in keeping our bodies running. Here are just a few examples of important electrolytes and how they keep us going.
Sodium: Sodium helps cells absorb nutrients while also keeping the right balance of fluid in our bodies. We use potassium alongside sodium, as when a sodium ion enters a cell, a potassium ion leaves, and vice versa. Potassium is also critical in keeping our heart functioning at a regular level.
Calcium: Calcium helps to control our muscles by transmitting signals in our nerves and controlling the rhythm of our hearts. In addition to that, it also has the added benefit of making our bones and teeth stronger.
Magnesium: As our cells turn nutrients into energy, magnesium helps them do their job. It also is key in keeping our heart and our brain running smoothly.
Phosphate: Phosphate transports chemical and molecule compounds that are outside of our cells. Phosphate is also an important part of our nucleotides, which make up the building blocks of our DNA.
As you can see, not all electrolytes are the same, which is why it’s especially important to keep your electrolyte levels high and to make sure while you’re staying active that you’re keeping your fluid and electrolyte intake high, as well.
What Makes aminoVITAL the Best Electrolyte Source?
aminoVITAL’s Action and Rapid Recovery packs not only contain tons of electrolytes, but they also provide your body with important amino acids to help build up muscle while you’re working out. Electrolytes are important for your body while working out, and, really, at all times of the day, but taking in electrolytes while also helping your body perform during your workout is a great way to boost your workout to the next level.