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!
Karen says
I’m looking forward to your recipes because LMNT is a hard no for me. My gut gets so messed up I end up being more dehydrated… Some sweeteners do that to me. I’m excited to learn your recipe and put it into practice!
Elana says
Thanks Karen! Coming soon :-)
Claudia Harris says
I’m looking forward to your recipe for the electrolyte drink. I’ve used a lot of Himalayan pink salt for years due to chronic low blood pressure. I drink about 3 liters a day. I take potassium and magnesium capsules daily. But I’ve been wondering if having everything in liquid form would assimilate better? And of course all the electrolyte recipes I’ve found online have sugar in them. Thank you!
Elana says
Claudia, both my recipe and LMNT are sugar free!
Rachel says
I mostly drink plain water. I’ve tried a brand of electrolyte powder, but it’s pretty sweet. I tried one flavor of LMNT, but it was too spicy. I’d love to try the other flavors from LMNT though (especially the watermelon)!
Elana says
Rachel, sounds like you’re referring to the lemon habanero flavor, that one is not my favorite either!
Esther Brickley says
I enjoy a cup of warm lemon water with salt first thing in the morning.
Elana says
Esther, thanks for sharing your sipping habits :-)
Karin Lazarus says
Water, water and more water all day. I add fresh ginger, mint or berries to keep things exciting. I also like to make up recipes using LMNT and my new favorite is my version of a NY egg cream (despite the name there are neither eggs nor cream) using almond milk, fizzy water and chocolate LMNT, this is a little sip of joy! Elana, thank you for the wonderful information you give to us. I can’t wait to try your electrolyte recipe.
Elana says
Karin, thanks for sharing your favorite hydrating drinks to sip, you have such exciting ideas for LMNT <3
DLB says
I drink lot of water, yet always thirsty still. am I not getting the nutrients I need in the water (reverse osmosis) i drink?
Elana says
DLB, regular water contains only trace amounts of electrolytes. By adding electrolytes to water, we get quick and flavorful hydration.
Sara says
Thanks Elana, I think electrolytes are especially important here in Boulder (at altitude) as we seem to get dehydrated much more quickly and I will try this option.
Elana says
Sara, agree!
Julie Elkie says
I am so interested in your homemade recipe…Right now I start my morning with lemon water…throughout the day I drink lots of water and a scoop of Vega Sport hydrator. Comparing nutrition facts to LMNT I am definitely going to switch! I am very low in sodium and magnesium…I am very active and with the warm weather arriving (I live in Ontario, Canada) I need to step up my game!
Elana says
Julie, thanks for sharing. Stay tuned for my homemade electrolyte drink recipe!
Paige says
Thank you for this information! I am well-versed on the need to replenish electrolytes. I have tried several other brands, but not LMNT yet. I’ll give it a try!
Elana says
Paige, thanks for your comment! If you try LMNT, I hope you’ll let me know what you think.
Diane says
Curious! Currently I either drink water with lime juice and stevia or natural calm in water.
Elana says
Diane, thanks for sharing!