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:
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- 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!
Heidi says
Thank you for this article. I think it is one answer for my being tired. I drink a lot of water, only water. I am looking forward to your homemade recipe and having some LMNT on had for convenience.
Elana says
Heidi, thank you for your comment. Stay tuned for my homemade electrolyte drink recipe!
Catherine Buchardt says
Would love to try these products. I’ve not found one that has it all. this one seems to.
Elana says
Catherine, I think it does :-)
Elizabeth McIntosh says
I am on the keto diet and I think your home made electrolyte drink would add to my over all health. I am looking forward to reading your recipe,
Elana says
Elizabeth, stay tuned for my homemade electrolyte drink recipe!
Teresa Novak says
I always start my day with some Redmond Sea Salt in warm water and I use trace minerals in my water throughout the day. But I think I need to try LMNT, especially as I start working in my garden more and the weather gets warmer.
Elana says
Teresa, thanks for your comment!
Mary says
I drink a lot of water but I have been very tired lately. I will definitely give this a try. For my diet I am doing low carbs.
Elana says
Mary, thanks for stopping by and sharing!
Mary says
I drink a lot of water but I have been very tired lately. I will definitely give this a try. For my diet I am doing low carbs. I love your recipes!!!!
Elana says
Mary, thanks for your comment. I’m so happy to hear that you love my recipes!
Sharon B. says
Hi Elana! Thanks for your article. I found LMNT several months ago, and boy, what a game changer! I use an infrared sauna at least once a week and the LMNT electrolytes save me. I put one in my bladder when hiking. I live in Arizona so staying hydrated is imperative. I avoided other electrolyte packets because of all the sugar or artificial ingredients. That said, I look forward to seeing your electrolyte recipe. Thanks!
Elana says
Sharon, thanks for letting me know that you think LMNT is a game changer!
Sylvia says
I hydrate with lots of filtered water and unsweetened tea, but a nutrition consultant recently suggested increasing my salt intake as I begin the switch to a keto diet. I would love to try LMNT to see if it helps with my dry mouth and fatigue!
Elana says
Sylvia, if you try LMNT I hope you’ll let me know if it helps!
Sara says
I also love these powders, thanks to having read about them on your site in the past. I’m excited to read in the comments here about the chocolate version!
Elana says
Sara, thanks for your comment!
grace says
I’ve been using LMNT for a couple of years now, about the same amount of time I’ve followed a strict low-carb way of eating with periodic intermittent fasting. Before I started using it I was prone to severe muscle cramping in my legs as well as ‘sinking spells’ where I’d suddenly feel very weak/tired. What a difference it has made. I’ve recently switched to eating OMAD most of the time. I’m doing Dru Pruitt’s challenge to hydrate every morning with LMNT and 2 large glasses of water. Seems to be working well for me–no sinking spells and no muscle cramps. Yea!!
Elana says
Grace, thanks for sharing. I’m so glad to hear LMNT is working well for you!