How Can You Tell if You Have an Electrolyte Imbalance?

Your body cannot function without electrolytes. These tiny powerhouses act as electrical signals, enabling cells to communicate and produce energy efficiently. Electrolytes maintain balanced fluid levels and properly distribute water within and around cells. They also help regulate pH levels and support smooth muscle contractions, making them indispensable for overall health and well-being.¹ 

Typically, your kidneys balance these electrolytes and fluids. However, factors like heavy sweating, vomiting, or an intense workout can disrupt this balance. Dizziness, mental fog, a racing heart, and muscle cramps are all common signs that your electrolytes are out of balance.² Restoring a few essential nutrients can correct an imbalance in many situations.

Understanding Electrolyte Imbalance

Electrolytes are essential minerals that your body needs to function correctly. They include:

• Sodium
• Potassium
• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Chloride
• Phosphate
• Bicarbonate³

If electrolyte levels fall out of balance—becoming too high or too low—they can disrupt vital processes such as hydration, muscle contraction, nerve function, and heart rhythm. Imbalances can lead to serious health issues, including dehydration, heart problems, muscle weakness, and nerve dysfunction.⁴

For example, sodium helps maintain fluid balance, supports nerve function, and enables muscle contractions. Hyponatremia happens when sodium levels in your blood drop too low, causing symptoms like headaches, nausea, confusion, and muscle cramps. In severe cases, hyponatremia can lead to seizures, coma, and even be life-threatening if not treated promptly.⁵

Symptoms of Electrolyte Imbalance

Losing sodium and other electrolytes through sweating, vomiting, or diarrhea can disrupt your body’s normal functions, leading to symptoms including:

• Headaches: A common initial symptom of electrolyte imbalances, indicating that your body struggles to maintain balance.
• Dizziness and confusion: Sodium helps maintain proper nerve function and fluid balance. When sodium levels drop too low, these signals can be disrupted, leading to dizziness and confusion.
• Nausea and vomiting: An imbalance in sodium levels can lead to improper muscle contractions and fluid distribution, which can cause your digestive system to malfunction. This disruption can result in symptoms like nausea and vomiting as your body attempts to expel what it perceives as harmful or to correct the imbalance.
• Fatigue and muscle spasms: Muscles require balanced electrolytes to function correctly; imbalances can lead to cramps or spasms.
• Anxiety and irritability: Electrolyte imbalances can affect your nervous system, leading to mood changes.
• Diarrhea: Diarrhea can both cause and result from electrolyte imbalances by leading to significant fluid and electrolyte loss, disrupting normal bodily functions and gut absorption, and further worsening the condition.
• Irregular heartbeat: Electrolytes are vital for heart function. Imbalances can cause arrhythmias or abnormal heart rhythms.⁶

In severe cases, electrolyte imbalances can be life-threatening. Critical symptoms include:

• Seizures: These sudden, uncontrolled electrical disturbances in the brain can result from severe electrolyte imbalance.
• Coma: Prolonged unconsciousness resulting from extreme disruption of brain function that can occur with extreme electrolyte imbalances.
• Death: If not promptly and adequately treated, severe electrolyte imbalances can be fatal.⁷

Age-Related Conditions That Impact Electrolyte Balances

Children and Adolescents

Children and adolescents lose electrolytes through sweat during play and sports. Proper electrolyte balance is essential for their growth, muscle function, and overall health.⁸ Ensuring they get enough electrolytes can help maintain their energy levels, support cognitive function, and prevent dehydration.⁹

Older Adults

As you age, your body’s ability to maintain electrolyte balance can decline, increasing the risk of dehydration and imbalances.¹⁰ Older adults often have decreased kidney function and may not feel thirst as intensely, leading to insufficient fluid intake.¹¹ Ensuring adequate electrolyte intake helps maintain hydration and supports muscle function. It can also reduce muscle weakness, preventing falls and injuries. Additionally, proper electrolyte balance lowers the risk of developing conditions like osteoporosis (bone loss) and hypertension (high blood pressure).¹²

Physiological Conditions That Impact Electrolyte Balance

Pregnancy

During pregnancy, your body undergoes significant changes that can affect fluid and electrolyte balance. Symptoms like morning sickness increase fluid needs, putting you at a higher risk of dehydration. Adequate electrolyte intake helps maintain proper hydration, supports fetal development, and reduces the risk of complications like preeclampsia, a condition characterized by high blood pressure and signs of damage to organs like the liver and kidneys.¹³

Chronic Illnesses

People with chronic illnesses like chronic kidney disease, heart failure, or gastrointestinal disorders often struggle to maintain proper electrolyte balance. These imbalances can worsen their conditions and lead to further complications.^{14, 15}

Heart Health

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women.¹⁶ Essential electrolytes like potassium, magnesium, sodium, and calcium are crucial for heart function and maintaining healthy blood pressure.^{17, 18} Electrolyte imbalances can harm your heart. Excess sodium without enough potassium can raise blood pressure, increasing the risk of heart attack or stroke.¹⁹ Magnesium helps regulate blood pressure, manage stress, and support heart function, reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases and arrhythmias.²⁰

Lifestyle and Dietary Factors That Impact Electrolyte Balance

Keto and Low-Carb Diets

If you’ve done a keto or low-carb diet, you might have experienced “keto flu.” This temporary issue occurs when carb intake drops dramatically, causing insulin levels to fall and kidneys to excrete sodium. Symptoms can include headache, fatigue, dizziness, nausea, irritability, muscle cramps, difficulty sleeping, and brain fog, lasting from a few days to a week.²¹ Even if you don’t get keto flu, very low-carb diets can deplete potassium and magnesium levels, leading to fatigue, headaches, and muscle cramps.²²

Type 2 Diabetes

People with type 2 diabetes or metabolic diseases are prone to electrolyte imbalances. High blood-sugar levels can disrupt electrolyte balance and kidney function.²³ Symptoms like excessive thirst and frequent urination may indicate sodium imbalances.²⁴ Maintaining electrolyte balance can stabilize blood sugar, improve insulin sensitivity, and reduce diabetes complications.²⁵ 

Athletes and Physically Active People

Working out in hot conditions and doing resistance training can cause you to lose essential minerals through sweat. Maintaining electrolyte balance supports optimal muscle function, prevents cramps, and aids quicker recovery. The right balance of electrolytes boosts performance, endurance, and overall fitness.²⁶ 

Other Conditions That Impact Electrolyte Balances

Illness

Illnesses involving sweating, vomiting, or diarrhea can lead to significant electrolyte loss, making recovery longer and more difficult.²⁷ You probably recall having a stomach bug. Even though you drank plenty of water, vomiting or diarrhea meant losing fluids rapidly. Replenishing electrolytes helps prevent dehydration, supports your immune system, speeds recovery, and ensures your body has the resources to fight off infection and heal.^{28, 29}

Chronic Stress

Chronic stress can hurt your adrenal glands, which regulate electrolyte levels.³⁰ When constantly stressed, your adrenal glands work overtime and struggle to balance nutrients. This can lead to low electrolyte levels, making you feel more tired and less able to handle stress.³¹ Providing your body electrolytes can support your adrenal glands and help you manage stress better.

Replenishing Electrolytes Naturally

What you eat can support healthy electrolyte levels. Be mindful of processed foods and excessive salt-shaker use, which can lead to sodium overload and electrolyte imbalances. Some processed foods contain high amounts of sodium without tasting salty, making it easy to consume too much without realizing it.³²

Instead, incorporate electrolyte-rich foods into your meals. Leafy greens (such as spinach, kale, and Swiss chard) and cruciferous vegetables (including broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage) provide potassium, magnesium, and calcium. Other foods that help correct electrolyte imbalances include: 

• Unripe bananas
• Citrus fruits (including oranges)
• Almonds
• Pumpkin seeds
• Sunflower seeds
• Unsweetened coconut water^{33, 34}

Focusing on these electrolyte-rich foods can help your body maintain optimal levels of these essential minerals, supporting overall health and preventing minor electrolyte imbalances.

Supplementing to Optimize Electrolyte Levels

In certain situations, food alone may not be sufficient to restore electrolyte balance. An electrolyte formula can be beneficial in these cases. These types of supplements provide essential minerals like sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium to help maintain proper fluid balance, support muscle function, and enhance overall hydration, especially after intense exercise, illness, or dehydration.

However, many commercial electrolyte formulas have an improper balance of electrolytes, which can lead to further imbalances in the body. They may also contain added sugar, artificial sweeteners, additives, preservatives, and fillers.

I couldn’t find an electrolyte product that met all my criteria, so I created ElectroReplenish. This complete, balanced electrolyte solution promotes optimal hydration, especially after excessive sweating. Beyond electrolytes in their correct forms and amounts, ElectroReplenish also includes:

• D-ribose: This nutrient helps produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which your cells use for energy. D-ribose supports a healthy heart, exercise recovery, and energy production.³⁵
• Taurine: An amino acid that regulates cellular electrolyte flow, supports healthy blood pressure, prevents dehydration, acts as a natural diuretic (so your body can eliminate excess fluid and salt), and helps your hormone insulin work effectively.³⁶
• Vitamin C with antioxidants (quercetin and citrus bioflavonoids): Vitamin C works well with specific antioxidants, which naturally occur in some foods like citrus fruit. Together, they support cardiovascular health, help build healthy collagen, and provide anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits.^{37, 38} 

This powerhouse formula helps restore critical electrolytes without the added sugar, artificial sweeteners, and other problematic ingredients found in other products. It tastes great! ElectroReplenish has a delicious natural lemon-orange flavor, lightly sweetened with stevia. It mixes easily into water or your favorite liquid. You can also freeze it into popsicles for a refreshing treat.

Whether you’re dehydrated, sweating a lot, dealing with chronic stress, recovering from an illness, or working out intensely, ElectroReplenish offers a convenient, delicious way to restore essential nutrients, ensuring you stay hydrated and healthy.*

Order ElectroReplenish here.

References: 

1. Shrimanker I, Bhattarai S. Electrolytes. [Updated 2023 Jul 24]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK541123/
2. Cleveland Clinic: Electrolyte Imbalance
3. Cleveland Clinic: Electrolytes: Types, Purpose & Normal Levels
4. Shrimanker I, Bhattarai S. Electrolytes. [Updated 2023 Jul 24]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK541123/
5. Mayo Clinic: Hyponatremia – Symptoms and causes
6. Healthline: Electrolyte Imbalance: Types, Symptoms, Causes, and More
7. Healthline: Electrolyte Imbalance: Types, Symptoms, Causes, and More
8. NYU Langone: Diagnosing Fluid & Electrolyte Disorders in Children
9. Verywell Family: Children and Electrolytes: Everything You Need to Know
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11. Mayo Clinic: Dehydration – Symptoms & causes
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13. Healthline: Symptoms of Severe Dehydration During Pregnancy
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15. Houston Kidney Specialists Center: Health Conditions That Can Lead to an Electrolyte Disorder
16. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Lower Your Risk for the Number 1 Killer of Women
17. Rush University Medical Center: Essential Electrolytes 
18. Levings JL, Gunn JP. The imbalance of sodium and potassium intake: implications for dietetic practice. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2014 Jun;114(6):838-841. doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2014.02.015. Epub 2014 Apr 16. PMID: 24742901; PMCID: PMC9237821.
19. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: About Sodium and Health
20. DiNicolantonio JJ, Liu J, O’Keefe JH. Magnesium for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Open Heart. 2018 Jul 1;5(2):e000775. doi: 10.1136/openhrt-2018-000775. PMID: 30018772; PMCID: PMC6045762.
21. Healthline: Is Ketosis Safe and Does It Have Side Effects?
22. Healthline: Keto Headache: Causes and Prevention
23. Khan RN, Saba F, Kausar SF, Siddiqui MH. Pattern of electrolyte imbalance in Type 2 diabetes patients: Experience from a tertiary care hospital. Pak J Med Sci. 2019;35(3):797-801. doi: 10.12669/pjms.35.3.844. PMID: 31258597; PMCID: PMC6572991.
24. WebMD: Hypernatremia: Danger of Too Much Sodium in Your Blood
25. MedlinePlus: Fluid and Electrolyte Balance
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28. Popkin BM, D’Anci KE, Rosenberg IH. Water, hydration, and health. Nutr Rev. 2010 Aug;68(8):439-58. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.2010.00304.x. PMID: 20646222; PMCID: PMC2908954.
29. Rocky Mountain IV Medics: Rehydration After an Illness: Vomiting and Diarrhea
30. John Hopkins Medicine: Adrenal Glands
31. Fraser R. Disorders of the adrenal cortex: their effects on electrolyte metabolism. Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1984 Jul;13(2):413-30. doi: 10.1016/s0300-595x(84)80029-8. PMID: 6091953.
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33. Medical News Today: Electrolytes in food
34. Healthline: 25 Foods That Replenish Electrolytes
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36. Healthline: What Is Taurine?
37. Medical News Today: Vitamin C: Why is it important?
38. Mahmoud AM, Hernández Bautista RJ, Sandhu MA, Hussein OE. Beneficial Effects of Citrus Flavonoids on Cardiovascular and Metabolic Health. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2019 Mar 10;2019:5484138. doi: 10.1155/2019/5484138. PMID: 30962863; PMCID: PMC6431442.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. Products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The views in this blog by JJ Virgin should never be used as a substitute for professional medical advice. Please work with a healthcare practitioner concerning any medical problem or concern.