If you’ve ever sweated through an intense gym class, been under the weather, or felt hungover, chances are you've heard about the importance of replenishing your electrolytes.
And even though you’ve probably followed this advice, bought and consumed some (or even recommended others to do the same), many people still aren’t quite sure what electrolytes actually do.
Electrolytes are minerals, like sodium and potassium, that help your cells work properly. Although electrolytes are present in the body, we need to continuously replenish them through food and fluids to maintain balanced, optimal levels.
The body usually does a good job of maintaining electrolyte balance through diet alone. Still, there are times when it’s under stress—after a grulling workout or a bout of sickness, perhaps—and it could use a hand to bounce back quicker. Prioritizing this balance can help optimize daily wellness, recovery and performance.
And that’s where our Restore Hyper Wellness therapies can help.
Highlights
- Electrolytes—like sodium, potassium and magnesium—are essential minerals that help your body function smoothly.
- Hydration and electrolyte levels are connected and maintaining the right balance is really important for your everyday wellness.
- Electrolytes exist in the body but require daily replenishment through food and fluids.
- IV Drip Therapy offers a rapid way to restore electrolytes by delivering essential minerals directly into the bloodstream.
What Electrolytes Do and Why They Matter
Electrolytes are essential minerals such as sodium, potassium and magnesium that carry an electrical charge (electrolytes, get it?) and play a vital role in keeping your cells working smoothly. They do many important jobs, including maintaining the right fluid balance, helping muscles to contract, enabling nerves to send signals and supporting a healthy pH balance.
Electrolyte levels and hydration (or dehydration) are closely linked. Our bodies maintain a healthy fluid balance by changing the concentration of water inside and outside of cells. They do this by pumping electrolytes in and out of cells, and water follows their movement.
If electrolyte levels become too high or too low, you'll notice it. Since electrolytes have different roles, the effects and symptoms of an imbalance can vary. Taking care of these levels helps keep you feeling your best.
Key Electrolytes at a Glance
This list illustrates some mild low symptoms, but does not include all. It is not intended as medical advice. Severe dehydration can be life-threatening. Seek urgent medical advice if you have the following symptoms: high fever, muscle twitching, nausea, rapid pulse or seizures. For more symptoms of severe dehydration, see here.
How to Replace Electrolytes (Fast)
There are many ways to replenish electrolytes. How you choose to do it mostly depends on the amount you’ve lost and how quickly you want to see results. Some methods offer near-instant replenishment, while others take a little longer to kick in.
Looking to keep electrolytes topped up day-to-day? A balanced diet will do the trick. Feeling light-headed after a hot yoga session? You may need something quicker.
We’ve pulled together a comparison table to help you see the pros and cons of each. We’ve also gone into more detail below.
Add a Pinch of Non-Iodized Salt to Your Water
If you’ve experienced mild fluid loss or heavy sweating due to exercise or hot weather, you can add a pinch of non-iodized salt to your water to replenish your sodium levels. Non-iodized salt is simply regular table salt without added iodine, nothing fancy.
You only need a small amount to help your body maintain electrolyte balance. Sweat contains more sodium than other electrolytes, so the idea of this quick fix is to focus on that. The downside is that it doesn’t address the other lost electrolytes.
Note: Keep an eye on your sodium intake. On average, Americans consume more than 3,300 mg of sodium per day, which is well above the daily recommendation.1
Drink Coconut Water
Coconut water naturally contains low sugar and a range of electrolytes like sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium. It’s also low in calories and readily accessible today.
Studies suggest it may hydrate as effectively as many store-bought sports drinks, making it a viable alternative.7 However, it typically has higher potassium and lower sodium levels than sports drinks, with sodium being the key electrolyte lost during exercise.
Add Electrolytes to Your Water
Most electrolyte tablets contain a mixture of sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium. These usually come in a variety of flavors, too.
Note: Monitor your sugar intake. Official guidance says no more than 10% of calories should come from sugar.1 Get familiar with your recommended daily allowance for optimal health and wellness.
Restore’s IV Drip Therapy for Hydration and Electrolyte Support
IV Drip Therapy helps to replenish fluids and electrolytes more rapidly than other methods. This is because IV Drip Therapy delivers fluid and nutrients directly into the bloodstream, maximizing bioavailability. Put simply, it’s a fast track to getting the nutrients your body needs to the right place.
The human body is made up of about 60% water, with muscles containing 80% water. It’s no wonder people feel the need to prioritize speed when it comes to rehydration. An added bonus of IV Drip Therapy is that you can add complementary nutrients to help meet your wellness goals.
Why Some People Choose IV Drip Therapy
When you lead a busy, demanding life, finding the right balance for optimum health and wellness can be challenging. At Restore, our popular IV Drip Therapy can help support your wellness goals.
Our medical experts have created each IV Drip to target specific needs. Whether it’s energy, recovery or even skin health, lots of our Drips support hydration due to the fluid levels and nutrient content.
“We’ve strategically put together specific nutrient combinations that act on different pathways we’re trying to target,” explains Dr. Rachele Pojednic, Restore’s Chief Science Officer.
What’s in Restore’s Hydration-Focused IV Drips
When it comes to rehydration, fluid and electrolytes, such as Magnesium Sulfate, do the heavy lifting. However, nutrients such as B Complex and Vitamin C help support the body while dehydrated. They help reduce oxidative stress, support the immune system and maintain cellular function.
“Pairing Magnesium with our B Vitamins can be a really great way to boost cellular energy production,” explains Dr. Rachele. “We know these are critically important for metabolism, so that they can be great for energy.”
Check out our IV Drip Menu and IV Nutrients list for more information.
When You May Need Extra Electrolyte Support
Maintaining your everyday electrolyte levels is usually easily managed through a balanced diet. But for situations involving heavy sweating, heat stress or prolonged exertion, people may experience significant electrolyte loss.
In most cases, people think drinking water is enough to replenish the body, but without replacing these electrolytes, fluid and electrolyte balance may not be adequately restored.5
But sometimes, people choose to give their electrolytes a little extra boost to feel their best.
- Sickness: Illness, vomiting, diarrhea and fever can all cause fluid loss. This puts you at greater risk of dehydration and electrolyte imbalance.
- Heavy Sweating: If you’ve been doing intense exercise or exercising for a prolonged period (longer than one hour), you will lose water and electrolytes through sweating, which need to be replenished.8
- Intense Heat: When exposed to high temperatures—for example, in an Infrared Sauna or during a heatwave—the body sweats heavily, losing fluids and electrolytes that need to be replaced. This is especially the case if Sauna use is frequent or prolonged.9
- Energy Boost: Life can take it out of you. So whether you’re feeling stressed or exhausted from travelling, an IV Drip that pairs Magnesium and B Vitamins, such as the New Myers Drip, can help boost energy.
Safety Tips and When to See a Healthcare Professional
Before any Restore IV Drip Therapy, you will have a consultation to discuss your health history and a Registered Nurse will take your vital signs. Your session will last 60-90 minutes and will be monitored throughout.
Restore’s IV Drip Therapy is intended to support your wellness goals. It is not a medical treatment and should complement, not replace, medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider if you have concerns about your symptoms.
Book an IV Drip at Restore
The IV Drips infuse a liter of fluids with essential vitamins, nutrients, minerals and amino acids that go far beyond water alone. Whether you’re committed to the prospect of reducing cellular damage with Vitamin C, aiding your body's energy production with B12, or relaxing while supporting muscle health with Magnesium, our extensive menu of Drip nutrients gives you every opportunity to take your wellness further than you thought possible. Book an appointment now.
FAQs
1. Do I need electrolytes every day?
Yes, even though your body already contains electrolytes, it's important to regularly consume them to replenish what you've lost. We naturally lose electrolytes through sweating, urinating and everyday cellular processes.
2. Can drinking too much water dilute electrolytes?
Yes. Drinking a lot of water and other liquids might dilute electrolytes in your body. Hyponatremia happens when sodium levels in your blood fall, which can cause headaches, nausea, confusion and more. It's important to stay hydrated, but don't forget to replace the electrolytes you lose.
3. Are sports drinks a good way to replace electrolytes?
Sports drinks can be really helpful in replacing electrolytes like sodium and potassium, especially during long or intense workouts that make you sweat a lot. They also hydrate you and often include carbohydrates, which give you extra energy and aid absorption. However, many sports drinks are also high in sugar, so that’s something to be aware of.
4. What’s the difference between electrolyte drinks and IV Drip Therapy?
Oral supplements are absorbed at around 15-20% because of digestion, but IV Therapy allows nutrients to go straight into your bloodstream, making them 100% bioavailable. That way, the nutrients can get to work quickly and efficiently.
