Electrolytes have long been perceived as the go-to solution for replenishing lost fluids and restoring balance to the body. Recent science tells us that taking marketed electrolyte solutions alone is not good enough to hydrate the body effectively.

 We know that water is the primary component of the human body, and it is essential to many physiological processes, like nutrient transportation, temperature regulation, and waste elimination. We know that water is the basis for the fluid inside and outside your cells. Additionally, water acts as a shock absorber inside of your connective tissues, which is essential for healthy joints, athletic recovery, and healthy aging.

However, what really matters in hydration is the amount of water your cells absorb to keep the most sensory-rich system underneath your skin hydrated. And I am referring to the FASCIA system. Allow me to briefly address why fascia hydration is essential & why electrolytes are not good enough to get this job done.

Dr. Jean-Claude Guimberteau has recently discovered that Fascia is the hidden hydration system, an electrical system conducted by water that sends cell-to-cell communication. Based on that, Fascia is the authority system that allows healthy communication between all different cells, organs, and connective or soft tissues, where hydration is required for a healthy existence. That’s why hydrating this system is essential to hydrate your body effectively. However, electrolytes alone cannot get the job done.

Allow me to explain.

First of all, if you do not know what fascia is, I invite you to check one of my previous blogs on The World Of Fascia. It will give you a pretty good understanding of why I have been paying attention to Fascia’s health with pro athletes since 2010.

Check out Our Blog on
The World Of Fascia 

A Fascinating Organ of Communication

READ MORE

If you do know what fascia is, then you probably know that the number one component of Fascia is water.

Now, many people just drink water and think they are hydrating effectively. I have personally seen many professional athletes drinking just water after a game or an elongated practice, facing injuries because their soft tissues were dehydrated. Correct, the water they consumed was not getting inside their tissues, causing many health repercussions.

It is important to note that key electrolytes carry the electrical and chemical signals integral to every cellular function, and without them, life wouldn’t be possible. The problem with marketed hydrating solutions is that they do not contain the right electrolytes or the right amounts of them. Lastly, they fall short of significant ingredients that the fascia needs to stay hydrated. So let’s elaborate on why electrolytes alone are not good enough for effective hydration.

So let’s elaborate on why electrolytes alone are not good enough for effective hydration.

Electrolytes Address Only Part of the Hydration Equation.

Individual Variability in Electrolyte Needs Fall Short.

While electrolytes play a crucial role in maintaining proper fluid balance inside the cells and facilitating nerve function, they represent only a fraction of the broader spectrum of elements necessary for comprehensive hydration.

Each person's body is unique, and the optimal balance of electrolytes varies from one individual to another. Depending on many factors, such as activity level, age, and overall health, electrolyte requirements can differ significantly.

In reality, your body needs more than just sodium and potassium to be able to absorb the water effectively.

However, the balance of sodium and potassium is the most critical for every cell and everything your body does.

Now, because the typical Western diet contains too much sodium and too little potassium, it actually dehydrates your body.

So, let’s address what electrolytes you should pay attention to to promote a healthy electrolyte balance as step #1.

Sodium, chloride, and potassium 

are the three most common - and probably the most important for hydration — but bicarbonate, magnesium, calcium, and phosphate are also essential, especially for soft tissues that fascia supports.

Therefore, relying on a standardized electrolyte solution may not address the hydration needs.

We know sodium is essential for our health. However, getting more than what you need can lead to actual dehydration due to electrolyte imbalances and downstream consequences. The sodium-to-potassium ratio is what’s very important. That’s why potassium is an equally important electrolyte to pay attention to next to sodium to keep your cells hydrated inside, not just outside.

Additionally, potassium has an essential role in even more functions than sodium.

Getting enough potassium is beyond hydration beneficial.

It is important to know that low magnesium levels (which affect about 60% of Americans) can lead to low potassium.

Since it’s more likely for you to be low in magnesium and potassium, consider getting more of them in your diet while limiting sodium to just as much as you need.

You may ask, so how much potassium do you need?

The recommendations have changed recently. Previously the Institute of Medicine recommended 4700 mg of potassium per day, but now the recommendation is only 2500 mg for women and 3400 mg for men. Our ancestors probably consumed 11,000 mg of potassium or more, and there’s probably no limit to how much you can safely eat, according to the NIH.

Even if we’re not exactly sure about the best dose, we do know that most Americans ー and most people in the world, for that matter ー get way too much sodium and not nearly enough potassium. The average American falls short on potassium, yet they get over 150% of the sodium they should. That’s the opposite of what the balance is supposed to look like and spells disaster for your hydration.

Now, sugar in commercial electrolyte drinks is apparently designed to aid hydration and provide a quick energy boost to muscles (glycogen replenishment), but it actually contributes to dehydration in the long run.

Excessive sugar intake leads to an imbalance in fluid levels, and the body will require more water to process and eliminate the sugars. And the sugar makes your tissues brittle and injury-prone. Thus, relying on electrolyte drinks loaded with sugar counteracts the intended hydration benefits.

That’s something I addressed while formulating a new full-body recovery supplement - coming out in Spring 2024.

If you would like to know when it comes out and how you can be the first one to receive it, sign up for our newsletter here.

So, coming back to hydration.

Many of us are out of balance these days. We are disconnected from our own bodies, and most of the supplemental hydration solutions make us prone to dehydrated bodies and brittle tendons, ligaments, and bones.

I know I am repeating myself here.

Yet, it is so important, and it is worth doing it - without drinking enough water and consuming an adequate amount of electrolytes and minerals, waste products can easily be trapped in your fascial system, which wraps up every muscle and organ, allows communication between our cells, and can become flooded with inflammatory waste products trapped by the lack of fluid motion. And that’s not where it all ends.

There are two more steps beyond the minerals and key electrolytes you need to keep the fascia hydrated. These are the steps the 1% of elite athletes apply to keep their body hydrated and out of injury.

For your convenience, I am providing you with these two steps in a downloadable PDF. Make sure you apply those steps to your daily routine to feel your best and hydrate every layer of your body.