Episode 236 Show Notes
Grant and Heavey tackle a listener’s question about electrolytes. Is consuming too much good or bad? Will drinking an electrolyte supplement replace the benefits of water? Or is also consuming too much water dangerous to one’s health? All this and more (plus Grant’s Bushwacker recipe) in our episode today!
[04:35] Consuming Electrolytes
Eric is presently struggling with muscle cramping from his strength and cardio workout so he makes it a point to drink enough water each day. The problem is he doesn’t like drinking plain water. One of the supplements he uses for muscle cramps is Ultima, consuming 4-5 servings. Ultima is a hydrating electrolyte powder available in many different flavors.
He hasn’t noticed any negative effects but he’s curious about some long-term consequences from doing so. Is there such thing as consuming too much electrolytes? If so, what’s the turning point?
[06:10] Water is Essential – But Too Much Can Lead to Hyponatremia
Water is essential for life. You can go without food for a very long time, but going without water for even a few days is likely to lead to death.
For instance, in a 150-pound male, about 60% of his body weight is composed of water, equivalent to about 40 liters of water.
However, even though water is essential for life, it can be toxic in high doses. Heavey mentions this article release on Runner’s World about hyponatremia, which is a potentially dangerous condition caused by drinking too much water because it dilutes the levels of sodium. Endurance athletes are especially susceptible to this.
[08:23] Are Certain People More Prone to Hyponatremia?
The article also mentions the consensus statement from the Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine recently released. Interestingly, this was sponsored by CrossFit. Heavey suspects the reason for this is with regard to their stance against sports drinks.
In this statement, they looked at whether certain people are more prone to hyponatremia since the body is naturally good at eliminating excess fluids. They also looked at whether drinking sports drinks with sodium is helpful.
The electrolyte concentrations are quite low in the sports drinks relative to blood concentrations. So no matter how much you drink, you’re effectively diluting your levels.
[11:35] What is an Electrolyte?
An electrolyte solution is any liquid that conducts electricity. From a nutrient perspective, we’re talking about sodium, potassium, magnesium, chloride, and calcium. But there are a number of other minerals that are considered electrolytes too that help our body effectively conduct electricity.
Each element has a different role in the body but they’re collectively known as electrolytes because of their role in conducting electricity.
When we talk about hyponatremia, we’re specifically talking about hyponatremia. Gatorade, for example, has sodium and potassium. Depending on the sports drink you’re consuming, the mineral content will be dramatically different. Ultima has many different electrolytes included. With hyponatremia, sodium is the main factor.
[14:44] Drink Only to Thirst
Back to the journal, they concluded that people drink only to thirst to avoid the overdrinking problem entirely. Outside of the consensus statement, they said athletes should begin to drink fluids before the sensation of thirst as this can dramatically degrade performance.
That being said, Water loss and thirst don’t always add up. The perception of thirst isn’t triggered until 1-2% water loss has occurred. This is probably fine for everyday folks. But this level of loss can impair athletic performance. It can include stress on the heart and decreased aerobic endurance.
These performance impairments continue to stack up as the magnitude of dehydration increases This can result in decreased strength, cramps, fatigue, impaired cognition, and the list goes on.
The fluid intake required for an athlete to optimally fuel for performance is highly individual because fluid and mineral loss rate vary dramatically from person to person. Check out episode 190 on the impact of hydration on performance.
[16:38] Can You Have Too Many Electrolytes?
Too many electrolytes can lead to conditions called hypernatremia, characterized by too much sodium; hyperkalemia, too much potassium; and hypercalcemia, too much calcium.
Back to the listener’s question on consuming too much electrolytes, Heavey thinks that over a short-term period, elevated levels of sodium can lead to symptoms like dizziness, vomiting, and diarrhea. Listen to Episode 140 where they touch on the effect of high levels of sodium in the body. Specifically, Ultima has low levels of sodium at 55 mg per serving.
Alternately, if you have too low sodium, this can be dangerous in the long term. And if you’re eating highly processed diets with a lot of salt, this can be a problem.
[19:05] Too High Calcium and Potassium
Excess calcium over longer periods can cause soft tissue calcification leading to issues like kidney stones and heart disease. Hence, be careful with taking supplemental calcium. The RDA for calcium is about 1,000 mg per day.
Ultima contains only 65 mg per serving. Compare that to a glass of milk that contains 300 mg of calcium. So the calcium Eric is getting is probably not a big deal.
However, FDA regulates potassium supplements because individuals with impaired kidney function can be harmed or even killed by excess consumption. This is something you need to discuss with your doctor because even regular use of NSAIDS can impair kidneys.
There is no RDA for potassium but the Mayo Clinic suggests around 1,600-2,000 per day for adults. Ultima has about 250 mg per serving. So if you have risk factors, you may have to watch out for things like those. Otherwise, having 4 servings may not be a big deal.
[22:22] Too Much Magnesium
Too much magnesium can lead to soft stools. And even higher levels can affect heart rate and blood pressure. However, a large percentage of the population is actually deficient in magnesium.
The RDA is about 310-420 mg per day. Ultima contains 100mg per serving. If you’re already getting high levels of magnesium in your diet, this is another area you want to keep your eye on.
[23:05] Is Ultima Safe Then?
Whether or not the product is safe, this basically depends on Eric’s baseline diet, his health status, and many other factors.
Ideally, he should be visiting his doctor for regular checkups so he can keep an eye on blood pressure, cardiac function, and blood chemistry to make sure he is okay. Then he can mention the quantities he’s taking to the doctor so the doctor can monitor related issues.
[24:15] Just Drink More Water
Ultimately, just drink water. Sure, having Ultima is okay but maybe you can do it twice a day or maybe dilute it until you can work your way toward consuming more water over time. Any time we can avoid putting supplemental products in our body then just do it.
[26:00] What About Unsweetened Beverages?
Some people like to avoid artificial sweeteners and Heavey doesn’t think there’s strong evidence to support that. But it’s fine if you want to avoid it. Just make your own choices as to which evil you want to choose.
Grant points out that there are a lot of options out there. There’s probably nothing bad with Ultima or other electrolytes. You just don’t want to overdo them.
[27:10] The Bushwacker Cocktail and Grant’s Recipe
Bushwacker is a relatively new invention. It’s a blended drink that tastes like a chocolate milkshake. It was invented in 1975 on the Virgin Islands. Eventually, the recipe got popularized in Florida. Since 1986, there has been an annual Bushwacker festival held in Pensacola Beach, Florida.
However, not every Bushwacker is made the same. Each bar has different ingredients but they’re always amazing. But the exact recipe has not been established compared to other cocktails.
Some places even add ice cream in them which makes it taste even better. So Grant here has his own Bushwacker recipe which contains rum, vodka, Bailey’s, Kahlua, Amaretto, cream of coconut, a bit of chocolate syrup, and nutmeg sprinkled on top.
Heavey warns everyone though that while it’s super delicious, this can knock you on your ass. It’s super strong!
Links
SS 140: Is Salt Really Unhealthy?
SS 190: The Surprising Impact of Hydration on Performance
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