Extreme Heat and Electrolytes: Tips to Stay Hydrated

When it’s balmy outside, your body cools down by sweating. But you don’t just lose water in the process: you also lose electrolytes, such as sodium, calcium, and potassium, which are crucial for your body to function properly.

Sports drinks, hydration powders and tablets promise to support replenish electrolytes. But when do you really need them, and are they the best source? “People always say, ‘Just drink Gatorade,’” said Dr. Elan Goldwasser, a sports medicine physician at NewYork-Presbyterian. “But the truth is, it’s so much more than that.”

Why do I need electrolytes?

The body is like a immense, convoluted electrical circuit, Dr. Goldwasser said. Electrolytes — which also include magnesium, chloride, phosphorus and bicarbonate — carry the electrical charge that allows our nerves, muscles and cells to communicate with each other and function properly, he said.

Electrolytes support regulate the amount of water inside and outside cells and blood vessels, and also support maintain balance. regular heartbeat and support ensure that muscles contract and relax actually, Dr. Goldwasser said.

But to do their job, electrolytes need to be in balance. For most people, eating a nutritious diet and drinking water when thirsty is enough, said Dr. Vishnu Potluri, assistant professor of medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. But imbalanced electrolytes, whether you have too many or too few, “can be problematic,” he said.

What happens if I lose too many electrolytes?

Experts say that if you sweat heavily and don’t replenish fluids, you run the risk of dehydration, which disrupts your electrolyte balance.

For example, too little sodium in the blood can lower blood pressure, said Dr. David Goldfarb, clinical director of nephrology at NYU Langone Health. This condition, called hyponatremiamay cause dizziness or light-headedness when standing up, headaches and tiredness, and may occasionally cause nausea and vomiting.

Electrolyte imbalances can cause other problems, including desiccated mouth and numbness in the fingers and toes, Dr. Goldwasser said. People also struggle with heart palpitationsand in severe cases electrolyte imbalance may cause convulsions, coma or death.

Losing too many electrolytes also affects the kidneys, Dr. Potluri explained. Under normal circumstances, the kidneys filter waste from the bloodstream by producing urine. But in balmy weather, when you may be dehydrated and losing electrolytes, your body produces less urine to conserve water, Dr. Potluri said, which creates more opportunities for minerals to crystallize and form kidney stones.

It’s crucial to pay attention to any symptoms that may indicate an electrolyte imbalance, said Dr. Erick Eiting, medical director of the emergency department at Mount Sinai Beth Israel. “If we develop any of these issues and spend some time outside, it may be a sign that we really should head inside to frigid off in an air-conditioned room.”

However, it is possible to overcompensate by drinking too much water too quickly, Dr. Potluri said. By doing so, you dilute the existing electrolytes in your bloodstream, he explained, which can cause similar symptoms.

How to prevent electrolyte imbalance?

The easiest way to prevent electrolyte imbalances during a heatwave is to avoid getting too balmy or too dehydrated, experts say. Choosing air-conditioned places can support, as can taking chilly showers and staying hydrated.

However, certain groups are more at risk for these imbalances. These include juvenile children, older adults, and people with chronic conditions such as heart disease, kidney disease, and diabetes.

Dr. Goldfarb advises that if you suspect you may be deficient in electrolytes, perhaps because you’re sweating heavily or you’re noticing symptoms, it’s a good idea to reach for a sports drink like Gatorade, which contains electrolytes, if needed.

Drinks like Pedialyte, which have less sugar and a higher sodium concentration than Gatorade, are an alternative, Dr. Goldfarb said. Rehydration tablets, powders and ointments can also be helpful supplements. Most of these products contain sodium, which Dr. Goldfarb said is the most crucial electrolyte to replace if you’re sweating excessively.

If you want to make a quick, effective, and inexpensive electrolyte drink at home, Dr. Goldfarb recommends simply mixing salt, water, and sugar.

He also noted that the average person probably doesn’t need sports drinks or electrolyte potions to replenish themselves — since the next meal will likely be enough. But anyone who spends time without air conditioning, sweats a lot, exercises or works outside can benefit, he said. In those cases, “drinking water during a heat wave isn’t enough.”

You can also eat to replenish lost minerals. Experts say that salty soups like chicken or miso, as well as snacks like nuts, cheese, pickles, potato chips and pretzels, are good sources of sodium. Bananas are full of potassium, Dr. Goldwasser explained. Milk, mushrooms and avocados also contain potassium, he added, adding that avocados also have sodium and magnesium.

“Fruits, vegetables, nuts and salad,” Dr. Goldwasser said. “Those are the general rules when it comes to replenishing electrolytes.”