Are They Needed & How To Get Enough
What Are Electrolytes | Causes And Effects Of Electrolyte Deficiency During Fasting | How To Get Electrolytes While Fasting | Electrolyte Supplements
Many people practice fasting without really giving much thought to the risks involved. When you abstain from food for upwards of 16 hours a day, your body goes through a process known as autophagy. It cleanses itself by automatically eliminating harmful pathogens, toxins, and even dead cells. But this process can also deprive your body of electrolytes consisting of vital nutrients and minerals.
If your body is deprived of electrolytes for an extended period, you can suffer varying degrees of discomfort, depending on the severity of your nutritional deprivation. However, with proper intake of electrolytes for fasting, you can alleviate many of the symptoms of food deprivation, including dehydration, headaches, and muscle cramps.
Consuming electrolytes during fasting will help protect your vital bodily functions and help you achieve a state of homeostasis. Many experts believe you can significantly improve your overall health with intermittent fasting if practiced correctly, which invariably means drinking electrolytes while fasting.
In this post, we explain what electrolytes for fasting means. We also highlight some of the causes and effects of electrolyte deprivation during fasting and how to get electrolytes while fasting. We then conclude by providing you with three helpful electrolyte supplements for fasting.
What Are Electrolytes For Fasting?
Whenever you are fasting and working out simultaneously, your body loses a large number of minerals through your sweat. The nutrients and minerals lost in your sweat are collectively known as electrolytes.
Electrolytes consist of vital minerals that are essential to promoting proper bodily functions. Using electrolytes during your period of fasting will not break your fast. Instead, electrolytes will help to curb those health concerns associated with symptoms of dehydration, headaches, and muscle cramps.
One of the major electrolytes that your body needs during intermittent fasting is sodium. It is an electrolyte found in your common table salt, but table salt is not the best option. You can use Himalayan pink salt or sea salt rather than table salt for better results.
According to a report by the American Heart Association, the recommended daily sodium intake is 2,300 mg. The association also suggests that even hypertensive individuals should still consume some salt in their daily diet, as it promotes a good nervous system response and muscle function and regulates fluid balance.
Other essential electrolytes include bicarbonate, calcium, chlorine, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium. While you can get these minerals in healthy meals and beverages, you will not be able to consume these foods during your fasting hours. Eating foods rich in these minerals in fasting hours will go against your goal of intermittent fasting, as they will add to your calorie intake.
Nevertheless, you can still nourish your body with fasting electrolytes that will not break your fast or provide added calories. One way to cater to electrolyte deficiency and ward off resulting symptoms without increasing your calorie intake during your fasting hours is to take electrolyte supplements for fasting.
Causes And Effects Of Electrolyte Deficiency During Fasting
Electrolyte deficiency may occur during intermittent fasting due to the following reasons:
- Extensive fasting: This is where you fast for a long period of time. For example, you maintain a 16-hour-a-day fast for more than one week.
- Poor dieting: Intermittent fasting is great, but you should ensure that your diet plan is designed to provide your body with sufficient nutrients and minerals needed for your bodily functions.
- Excessive sweating during HIIT: You lose electrolytes through sweating. You will lose a tremendous amount of electrolytes when you sweat profusely during intensive workouts, especially while fasting.
A loss of significant amounts of electrolytes will lead to dehydration characterized by cotton-mouth, disorientation, headaches, and fatigue. Electrolyte derivation can lead to muscle cramps, restricted blood flow, blood pressure, and neurological issues.
In severe cases, significant electrolyte loss can lead to a person falling into a coma. Some studies have indicated a connection between circulating electrolytes and irregular heart rhythm leading to cardiac arrests.
Do you need help in planning your nutrition while following intermittent fasting? Sign in for 21-Day Intermittent Fasting Meal Plan and get complete nutritional data for each meal of the week, a weekly shopping list, and guidelines on how to proceed with your fasting
How To Get Electrolytes While Fasting?
Electrolytes can be obtained in many ways, including the following:
- Water fast electrolytes: This involves taking a solution consisting of a glass of pure water and a pinch of sea salt or Himalayan pink salt. You can also add a few drops of lemon. Electrolytes for water fasting may also involve a solution consisting of a pinch of sea salt with a few drops of orange juice.
- Chicken bone broth: You should consume just the broth, not the chicken. Eating chicken during fasting hours will add to your calorie intake and disrupt the purpose of your fasting. Chicken can be eaten during feeding hours.
- Beef bone broth: This is similar to chicken bone broth. The broth itself is all you need during fasting to boost your electrolytes.
- Vegetable broth: Veggie broth that is unsalted and strained can be consumed during your fasting period to get your electrolyte levels up.
Understandably, you may not be able to prepare these meals while fasting. However, the best electrolytes for fasting can be obtained via certain other means, such as through electrolyte drinks for intermittent fasting and electrolyte supplements for fasting.
Most of the time when fasting, you can drink anything. But there may be some exceptions. Some people believe bone broth breaks your fast. Does it? Read to know more – Does Bone Broth Break A Fast? Explained.
Electrolyte Supplements For Fasting
With a balanced dietary plan during your feeding hours, your meals may supply you with sufficient amounts of electrolytes.
However, you may be prone to losing large quantities of electrolytes through your sweat. It may mean that your balanced diet would not be enough to keep you hydrated and supply you with the right amount of electrolytes you need daily.
You can augment your balanced diet with electrolytes and fasting supplements. These supplements will not add to your calorie intake, as they do not contain sugar like most sports drinks.
Some common supplements are electrolyte tablets, raw mango electrolytes, pre-sports endurance mix, vitamin C powder, isotonic drinks, etc.
Three effective electrolytes for fasting supplements that you can purchase from Amazon and try out today include:
#1. Vali Electrolyte Salts
This fasting electrolyte supplement is developed for quick recovery, enhanced endurance, and peak performance.
Consisting of Himalayan pink salts, you will gain optimal hydration with this product. In addition to sodium, the other vital minerals and nutrients included in this supplement are zinc, magnesium, potassium, calcium, and vitamin D3.
Vali Electrolyte Salts will boost your immune system, support muscular optimization, boost energy levels, and promote fluid health.
#2. Salt Stick
This is an electrolyte supplement designed for vegetarians. Salt Stick will maintain your electrolyte levels while boosting your stamina.
Salt Stick will also reduce heat stress and muscle cramping while protecting you from stomach upset during intermittent fasting. This supplement is rich in minerals and nutrients, such as; calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, vitamin D3, and zinc. You should take one capsule with clean water every 30 to 60 minutes during your HIIT.
#3. Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier
This energy drink contains vital electrolytes and 5 essential vitamins including Vitamins B3, B5, B6, B12 and Vitamin C for a quick energy boost while traveling or during a workout. It comes in convenient travel-friendly packets are easy to enjoy on the go.
In Conclusion
Electrolytes for fasting are necessary during intermittent fasting involving daily intense workout routines. Your body needs to replenish the minerals and nutrients lost during these workouts to avoid serious health concerns.
These supplements contain vital minerals and nutrients that your body needs. The use of electrolyte supplements for fasting will help boost your electrolyte levels, promote rehydration, boost your energy, and promote regulated bodily functions. You can buy the best electrolyte supplements from the links mentioned above.
