Heart. Liver. Kidney. Blood pressure. All things any health-conscious person wants to keep in check. Electrolytes are a big part of all of this. Simply put, they are in every cell of the body, and are essential for various life processes. You’d be hard-pressed to find a function that didn’t involve a type of electrolyte somewhere along the line. For the sake of visualizing, here are some ways electrolytes regulate common bodily functions.
- Electrolyte concentration differences between the inside and outside of cells create electrical pulses which allow your heart to beat
- Electrolytes in the blood regulate osmotic pressure which controls the amount of fluids filtered and secreted by the kidneys
- Maintaining a certain pH throughout the body (and being able to adjust for special needs–for example, acidic conditions to break down food in the stomach) is crucial to overall function. Electrolytes help keep this balance.
- Your heart isn’t the only place where electrical pulses are needed. Every nerve in your body needs electrolytes to function properly. This involves thinking, moving, and even digestion!
These beg the questions: Are your sodium levels putting you at risk of high blood pressure? Is your pH too low due to haywire bicarbonate? Is your heart out of whack? Looking at many of the different electrolytes present in the body can give a holistic view of how well balance is being kept.
WellnessFX Medical Director Doctor Murdoc Khaleghi wraps up our Biomarker Series with electrolytes. Check out the video below to see why electrolytes are important and how testing can help you achieve your health and fitness goals.