Electrolytes are very important on a ketogenic diet. They are minerals that are found in the body. Electrolytes are used to maintain functions in your body such as regulating heartbeat or allowing muscles to contract. The most relevant electrolytes in this context are sodium, potassium, magnesium, chloride, and calcium. When you're on a keto diet, your body tends to release more water instead of storing it. This causes electrolytes to be flushed out with the water. This can leave you in a state of depleted electrolytes. This is a major cause of the "keto flu" feeling that people get when they are starting into ketosis.
Keto Electrolyte Drinks
Effects of Electrolytes
Most people have been told to avoid sodium in their diets. For normal people, sodium usually comes in the form of high-calorie and high-carbohydrate foods. When you're on the keto diet you actually need more sodium as it gets flushed out of your system by the kidneys. You may find that you need to supplement with additional sodium to keep from experiencing negative side effects. Potassium is another concern on the keto diet. Potassium is excreted at a higher rate when you're on a low carb diet. It is similar to sodium in that effect. Low levels of potassium can cause side effects and feelings similar to the keto flu. Magnesium is also flushed out of the system by keto diets. Magnesium deficiency is also a major concern for all people in the US. This is why it's recommended to supplement magnesium no matter what diet you are on. Calcium is a vital mineral that your body uses to stabilize blood pressure and control skeletal muscle contraction. It’s also used to build strong bones and teeth.
If you let your electrolytes go too low you could even experience these major side effects: irregular heartbeat, fast heart rate, fatigue, lethargy, seizures, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, abdominal cramping, muscle weakness, muscle cramping, irritability, confusion, headaches, numbness, and tingling. The main cause of these symptoms is fluid loss in the body. Ketogenic diets tend to flush out water and electrolytes from your system.
While it's very important to keep your electrolyte intake in check, it's also important to consume more water. On the keto diet, you may experience increased urination. Your body simply doesn't retain water as it used to. That is why we recommend a keto electrolyte drink. These drinks are high in electrolytes and low in carbohydrates. They also mix with water to help you increase your water intake as well. It's an easy way to increase your water and electrolyte intake.