Dehydration is a drag on human performance.

You’ve likely felt this yourself. Increased fatigue, lower motivation, and a reduced exercise capacity to name a few.

Surprisingly, these effects occur at as little as 2% total bodyweight dehydration(1).

According to the lay press, 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. A shocking statistic if you think about it, the result being, hundreds of millions of humans that are underperforming physically.

If you don’t want that to be you, just keep reading…

Is drinking water the answer?

While this certainly helps, and water consumption can't be understated, the water needs to be absorbed by cells to hydrate your body effectively, otherwise, there's a good chance it will go straight through you.

Unfortunately, much of the water we drink these days is no longer in the form nature intended. It’s missing the quantities of essential minerals needed for optimal hydration.

These minerals are also known as electrolytes. Sodium, magnesium, and potassium are just three of the most important ones.

Your cells use electrolytes to conduct electrical charges, which is how your muscles contract. Those same electrical charges also help with chemical reactions, especially when it comes to hydration and the balance of fluids inside and outside of cells(2).

Sodium - Sodium plays a critical role in helping your cells maintain the right balance of fluid. It’s also used to help cells absorb nutrients. It’s the most abundant electrolyte ion found in the body(2)

Magnesium - Magnesium helps your cells as they turn nutrients into energy. Your brain and muscles rely heavily on magnesium to do their job(2)

Potassium - Your cells use potassium alongside sodium. When a sodium ion enters a cell, a potassium ion leaves, and vice versa. Potassium is also especially critical to your heart function. Too much or too little can cause serious heart problems(2)

Ok, so now we’re clear on the critical role they play, how can you add these minerals to your water? Here are a few suggestions:

• Add a ¼ teaspoon of mineral-rich sea salt to your water. No, I’m afraid table salt ain’t gonna cut it. Himalayan sea salt is a great example. It contains 84 trace minerals including an abundance of electrolytes. Specifically good for sodium.
• Swap out some standard water for coconut water. Packed with nutrients and low in sugar, it’s a particularly good source of potassium.
• Make a cocktail, let’s call it salt on the beach. Sea salt, potassium powder and magnesium powder.
• You could also purchase an electrolyte powder or tablets, but be careful, these often contain vast amounts of added sugar. Pick your brand wisely.

So, next time you want to take your hydration to the next level, consider mineralising your water.

References

Barr, S., 1999. Effects of Dehydration on Exercise Performance. Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology, 24(2), pp.164-172.

Cleveland Clinic. 2022. Electrolytes: Types, Purpose, and Normal Levels. [online] Available at: <https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/21790-electrolytes#:~:text=Electrolytes%20are%20substances%20that%20have,outside%20your%20cells%2C%20and%20more.> [Accessed 10 June 2022].