If you’re struggling with headaches, muscle cramps, or fatigue while fasting or on a low-carb diet there’s a good chance you’re low in electrolytes –especially sodium.
My not-so-secret ingredient for proper hydration? LMNT electrolytes.
What are Electrolytes?
If you’re wondering what are electrolytes? I’m here to help.
First off, there are 7 important electrolytes that are found in the body:
- Sodium
- Magnesium
- Potassium
- Calcium
- Chloride
- Phosphate
- Bicarbonate
What Do Electrolytes Do?
Electrolytes are minerals that conduct an electrical charge when mixed with water.1
Helping to regulate a variety of your body’s essential functions, electrolytes are critical when it comes to:
- Hydration
- pH Balance
- Nerve Signaling
- Muscle Contraction
Are High Sodium Levels Dangerous?
We hear quite a bit about hypertension and the need to decrease salt.
However, the truth is, many people who are very active or on low carb diets are low in sodium, the most important electrolyte.
Dehydration Symptoms
Have you ever been dehydrated? This used to happen to me, often. When it did, I would get a nasty migraine.
Here are some additional signs of dehydration:
- Headache
- Dry Mouth
- Muscle Cramps
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Loss of Appetite (can be accompanied by sugar cravings)
- Low Blood Pressure
LMNT Hydration
Hydration is not just about “how many bottles of water should I drink a day” –BTW, I drink around twelve 8 ounce glasses per day.
Hydration is also about how to rehydrate effectively.
LMNT Electrolytes
My favorite electrolyte supplement is LMNT which contains:
- 1,000 mg Sodium
- 200 mg Potassium
- 60 mg Magnesium
LMNT electrolytes are sugar free, with no artificial ingredients or wacky chemical food dyes and coloring.
This electrolyte formula contains enough sodium to have a significant impact on my health and sense of well being.
What is Hyponatremia?
The above shot of the sodium level from my lab results shows that I was suffering from slight hyponatremia or sodium deficiency.
Corrected Sodium Levels
I’ve become much more emphatic about starting my day with electrolytes since the test result above showed I have low sodium levels.
I live at high altitude and make a point of hydrating, drinking a lot of water. The issue is that I can over-hydrate and end up diluting my electrolytes.
The solution? Supplementing with LMNT.
How to Increase Sodium Levels
Low sodium levels, referred to as hyponatremia, can have detrimental effects on hormones, immune system, brain function, and much more.
Sodium deficiency can be a serious problem among athletes as well as those following a low carb diet.
Keto Electrolytes
LMNT electrolyte supplements have a full gram of sodium per packet which is crucial for my overall health2 and they do not contain sugar, making them a great hack for keto.
Electrolytes and Keto Flu Symptoms
Whole food diets such as Paleo and Keto are naturally low in sodium.
These diets do not include the processed foods that contain added salt, but it’s not just the fact that your sodium intake is lower when you eat this way, it’s that you’re also excreting more sodium when your body is operating in a carb-restricted state.
Keto Flu
Have you ever heard of the Keto Flu? It can cause headaches, fatigue, and muscle cramps which are often ameliorated by increasing electrolyte intake.
Trust me, a keto headache is no joke.
LMNT Electrolytes and 18/6 Intermittent Fasting
Over the last decade I’ve enjoyed practicing an 18/6 intermittent fasting model now and then. Doing a 16 hour fast, with an 8 hour eating window is a great way to detox without doing a multi-day fast.
When I do this short fast, I stop eating after dinner, sleep for 9 hours, then skip breakfast in the morning.
When I wake up extremely thirsty I prepare an electrolyte drink, using LMNT to rehydrate as I continue to fast until lunchtime.
Drink LMNT Electrolyte Powder
When we do not replenish electrolytes during a fast, we may feel more tired, crampy, and weak than normal.
Increasing electrolyte intake may be the answer.
LMNT Drink Hydration Packs
My boys played sports growing up and it bummed me out when they were given commercial sports drinks full of artificial dyes and empty calories.
I wish we had LMNT electrolytes back then.
They’re family friendly and a fantastic on-the-go solution for beating dehydration.
The boys love them, their favorite flavor is lime. I drink a lot of the orange, and my husband is a huge fan of watermelon.
Detox Drinks to Retox
My younger son also uses LMNT hydration packets as a mixer for alcoholic beverages and helped me create these recipes:
Water With Electrolytes
Mixed drinks that are low carb are great, but I’m more focused on everyday hydration and water with electrolytes.
When we add LMNT electrolytes to our water, we get quick and flavorful hydration drinks that support our healthy lifestyle.
Best Hydration Powder
Some consider LMNT the best hydration powder. When it comes to the science-based formula made without sugar that may be the case.
I think my homemade electrolyte powder is better because I increase the magnesium, a critical ingredient. My electrolyte recipe is also far less expensive and it also reduces waste by eliminating packaging.
Still, if your #1 concern is flavor, LMNT can’t be beat!
Homemade Electrolyte Drinks
For those of you who love my keto recipes and are in need of hydration help, I’ve got you covered.
Learn how to make your own electrolyte powder in order to create amazing electrolyte water.
What’s your favorite way to hydrate? Leave a comment and let me know!
Kaila White says
Thanks for sharing! I’ve been looking for a cleaner electrolyte option since recently moving to Arizona (hello dry and hot!) and my son being diagnosed type 1 diabetic. Hydration is huge when you’re type 1 and I don’t love the overly chemical/artificial dye main stream options. Looking forward to next week’s recipe for a diy electrolyte
Elana says
Kaila, thanks for your comment. Stay tuned!
janyce prall says
We are both in our 70’s & walk 2-4 miles per day & that’s not on a flat track but that’s in a mountainous neighborhood. Some days at the end of walks we experience heavy leg. Now, after reading your article, I wonder if it’s the electrolytes. We do manage our water intake & have been doing IF for at least 11 years plus we are Paleo eaters. I think I’d like to try the LMNT Raw as it has no Stevia in it. Unless you can recommend another product. Enjoy your articles, advices & recipes.
Elana says
Janyce, thanks for sharing. I use LMNT raw and love it :-)
Janis S says
I like the single serving packs of electrolytes to rake with me on a long walk. I live in Denver and at this altitude and dry climate you don’t always realize how much you are sweating. I haven’t used this brand yet.
Thanks for sharing this information!
Elana says
Janis, thanks for your comment! If you try LMNT, I hope you’ll let me know what you think!
Jerri Caskey says
I am 72 years old and live at 8800 ft. in the central Colorado mountains which means that I hike at higher elevations. A group of ladies in my neighborhood get together on Mondays to hike. Not knowing anything about healthier hydration products, I use whatever I can find in our little mountain community. Last summer, I experienced an episode of dehydration. I got very dizzy, tired, and slower coming back down the trail. We were at approximately 10,500 ft. high at the time. During a discussion with 2 ladies who stayed with me, we talked about hydration information we had recently read or heard. Since that time, I alternate drinking water, Gatorade, and Body Armor. I buy the lite versions of them. I also take a large, whole dill pickle with me to eat and some kind of fruit that is very juicy such as clementines, oranges, or grapes. I buy dill pickles that do not have any artificial dyes in them. This is not a hydration food, but I also have found that I do best if I eat a half sandwich made with peanut butter, a little bit of jelly, and piled with raw spinach. I also take a blend of nuts and dried fruit with me that contains walnuts, dried mango, almonds, cranberries, and pumpkin seeds.
Elana says
Jerri, you are inspiring! Thanks for your comment :-)
Deb Brannock says
I have a copy of your almond flour cookbook & have enjoyed making a few items. Recently I have been looking for other gluten free recipes since a friend has been diagnosed a celiac. I have found several great ones on your site.
I am glad you let us know about this electrolyte supplement. Currently I am on a medication that is a diuretic & it depletes my electrolyte levels. I have been supplementing with tablets & chia seeds to help. With you on those chemical sugary drinks, I will not drink them! I live in CO also and know the issue with trying to drink enough water every day. A friend of mine has her own solution to help by making a natural drink supplement, it is a medieval recipe using honey, mint & vinegar.
Elana says
Deb, thanks for letting me know that you are enjoying my recipes and thank you for sharing your hydration journey! I would speak to your medical care practitioner about supplementing with electrolytes if you are on a diuretic.
Alison Pierie says
I like to try sugar free electrolyte drinks! Don’t have a favorite!
Elana says
Alison, thanks for sharing!
Nicole Nies says
LMNT is the best! My friend gave me a few samples to try and they really helped my athletic performance.
Elana says
Nicole, thanks for letting me know you think LMNT is the best!
Pamela says
Hi, Elana. ‘Hope you are feeling better; prayers for you always!
As to hydration, I’ve switched from Keto to Carnivore. Initially salt was an issue for me, of course, just as I was flushing much debris out of my body. I’ve never been a person who wanted salt, so easily followed the low-salt, high water diets. I still don’t like to add salt to my food, but make a point of doing so when I’m cooking; it’s slowly beginning to taste better to me. I guess as my health improves it will appeal to me more; at least, that’s what I’m told. ;-)
Anyway, the only electrolyte I seem to require these days (beyond the norm), is magnesium. The need has lessened as my body heals. Restless legs are rare now, and I absolutely have no more fluid build-up (due to Chronic Veinous Insufficiency). Yay! Thanks for alerting folks to the need for electrolytes. Pamela
Elana says
Pamela, thanks for sharing about your hydration journey! I’m happy to hear your body is healing.
Laurie says
Hi! I drink a lot of green tea and plain water. We are on a well and not sure if I am getting all the minerals I need from that.
Elana says
Laurie, we have great water here and I still like to add electrolytes :-)
Carol Teel says
My family loves LMNT. Grapefruit was my favorite now it’s watermelon! We have very hot summers in OK and this is the best way to replenish!
Thanks for sharing your recipes!
Elana says
Carol, I’m so glad to hear your family loves LMNT!