With more than 30 years’ experience in the residential and commercial water treatment space, Mark Nelson is a Class 1 Drinking-Water Operator and a CBWA (Canadian Bottled Water Association) Certified Plant Operator. As founder and president of Nelson Water in Ottawa, Mark focuses on dealing with challenging water treatment system designs for problem water. He also heads the largest water bottling plant in the city of Ottawa with a delivery network throughout the Valley.

With the increasing popularity of specialty water brands, more and more people are questioning whether we need electrolytes in our water. Electrolytes are essential for a healthy body, but scientists and health experts are still considering the concept of adding them to water.

The Electrolyte Basics

There are several forms of electrolytes, including chloride, sodium, phosphate, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. In simple terms, electrolytes are salts. They dissolve in the body and give off a negative or positive charge to help conduct electrical signals.

These ions have an important role since they help control water flow into the cells and nerve impulses. This ultimately allows muscles to relax and contract. This is why we experience muscle cramps if you’re not properly hydrated when you exercise.

Electrolytes are like your car’s motor oil. While it doesn’t make the engine run, it is necessary to keep everything operating smoothly. Adequate electrolytes are crucial for the proper function of your muscular, cardiac, nervous, and digestive systems.

Electrolytes are the reason why sweat is salty. Electrolytes are dumped into our sweat glands, and water flows behind, increasing the pressure in the gland, causing sweat to be released. Sweat evaporates on the skin to help cool our body temperature. This is why the body loses electrolytes when we sweat, but does this mean we need electrolytes in our water to replace them?

Should Electrolytes Be In Our Water?

According to Sport Medicine experts, we don’t need to drink beverages enhanced with electrolytes. While many companies spend a small fortune advertising their products, showing athletes drinking these electrolyte enhanced water products, if you’re working out for an hour or less and consuming a properly balanced diet, it is unnecessary.

The more important issue is to remain properly hydrated, and this can be accomplished with good, old fashioned water. Drinking sufficient fluids is crucial for staying healthy, and it can boost mood, improve physical performance, and promote weight loss.

So, you don’t need to buy expensive, electrolyte waters, you an accomplish hydration with your tap water at home. Of course, it is important that your water tastes good. No one wants to drink unpalatable water, and unfortunately, many homes are supplied with water that has a chlorine taste and smell or is otherwise compromised aesthetically.

Fortunately, this can be easily solved with a domestic water treatment system. These devices can be installed at the point of use, or point of entry. Point of use systems are typically installed under a kitchen sink, so that all the water used to prepare meals and drinks is filtered. Point of entry systems are installed where the water supply enters your home. This means that the water supplying all of the fixtures and water using appliances is free of contaminants. This can be beneficial if your water supply contains contaminants that cause staining or other issues around your home.

How to Maintain Your Electrolytes

While there are some situations, such as a health condition, beyond your control, there are some simple steps to maintain your electrolytes and avoid any dips or spikes.

  • Eat a Balanced Diet: There are lots of electrolyte rich foods that should be included in your daily diet. Calcium can be found in milk and milk products, beans, meat, fortified cereals, and certain vegetables and fruits such as collard greens, figs, and asparagus. Chloride is found in tomatoes, olives, and celery. Magnesium is found in whole grains, leafy green vegetables, lentils, and dried beans. Finally, potassium rich foods include bananas, beans, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, melons, peas, and avocado.
  • Take it Easy With Salt: While salt is a crucial electrolyte, the human body does not need much. Just one teaspoon per day is sufficient, and there is salt in many foods. Too much salt can contribute to health problems, including high blood pressure. It is a good idea to season your foods with herbs and spices rather than reaching for the salt shaker and avoid prepacked foods that tend to be high in sodium.
  • Drink Sufficient Water: This is common advice, but it is important not to wait until you feel thirsty. It is a good idea to keep a water bottle on hand and drink throughout the day. Most adults require 2 to 3 litres of water each day to maintain proper hydration. Even if you’re not sweating a lot, you are still losing electrolytes as you’re breathing.
  • Replenish Your Electrolytes After You Exercise: If you’ve done a heavy or long workout, it is crucial that you replace any magnesium, potassium, and sodium that may have been depleted. For this reason, it is a good idea to carry a banana or salad to eat after your workout with a cool drink of water.

Prioritize Good Quality Drinking Water

As we’ve touched on above, maintaining proper hydration is just as important as your electrolyte levels. If you’re eating a balanced diet, there really is no need to buy costly electrolyte water brands.

Even if you have poor water quality, this can be easily corrected with a water treatment system. Regardless of whether you have hard water, a chlorine “swimming pool” smell, high iron content, or other issues, there is a treatment system available.

You’ll need to have your water tested to determine the specific contaminant levels, and then a treatment option can be tailored to suit the unique characteristics of your water. This will ensure that your water is great tasting, and you’ll be more likely to drink it frequently to maintain proper hydration.

You can also save money since you can fill your water bottle with great tasting water before you leave home, so you don’t need to buy expensive bottled water when you’re on the go.

If you have concerns about your water quality, be sure to speak to an experienced technician. A water treatment professional can test your water supply to determine what contaminants are affecting your water quality. The technician can then guide you through the treatment options best suited to the characteristics of your water.