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Summer Heat Making You Sweat? Here's How To Make Sure You're Getting Enough Electrolytes

Author:

Sarah Regan

July 14, 2023

mbg Spirituality & Relationships Editor

By Sarah Regan

mbg Spirituality & Relationships Editor

Sarah Regan is a Spirituality & Relationships Editor, and a registered yoga instructor. She received her bachelor's in broadcasting and mass communication from SUNY Oswego, and lives in Buffalo, New York.

Image by Jovo Jovanovic / Stocksy

July 14, 2023

Summer is in full swing here in the Northern Hemisphere, and as such, we're all sweating a bit more than usual. And while we're not complaining about the summertime sun, we should talk about the loss of electrolytes we can experience in summer—plus what to do about it. Here's what to know.

Minding your electrolyte levels in summer

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It's no secret that we sweat more in the summer, but what we might forget is the impact sweating can have on our electrolyte levels. As research published in the journal Sports Medicine1 explains, water and electrolytes are both lost as a consequence of thermoregulatory sweating, "and in some situations, especially when exercise is prolonged, high-intensity, and/or in a hot environment, sweat losses can be sufficient to cause excessive water/electrolyte imbalances and impair performance."

Electrolytes are essentially a category of electrically charged essential minerals that the body both produces and derives from food and beverages. As leading functional medicine physician Bindiya Gandhi, M.D., previously told mindbodygreen, minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphate, chloride, and sodium are all examples of important electrolytes.

"You mostly lose sodium and chloride in terms of the electrolytes lost in sweat," mindbodygreen's vice president of scientific affairs Ashley Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN, explains. "But don't forget about these electrolytes (and essential minerals!) you also lose—calcium, potassium, magnesium."

According to Gandhi, electrolytes are important for sustaining a healthy body and mind, as they help to balance our fluid levels; help to keep our muscles, nerves, heart, and brain cells working; and even help to transport nutrients to our cells.

What to do about it

Try mindbodygreen's ultimate multivitamin+.

The right multivitamin can do wonders for keeping your vitamin and mineral levels where you want them, and with 33 premium ingredients, mindbodygreen's ultimate multivitamin+ is the one to reach for.*

With 14 vitamins, 13 minerals, and 6 botanical bioactives, this vegan formula delivers high-potency nutrition for adult women and men alike—and in just two capsules. That's up to 3x more ingredients than the competition for whole-body health!*†

Not to mention, our multi includes efficacious doses and forms of all the essential vitamins and minerals your brain needs to function optimally (think all eight B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc, potassium, calcium, and magnesium), plus an array of longevity botanicals (i.e., glutathione, resveratrol, piperine, lutein, zeaxanthin, and lycopene) to promote cerebral blood flow, antioxidant capacity, oxidative balance, and more.*

Stay hydrated.

Sounds obvious, but if you're sweating, that means you're losing water and you'll want to replenish it. It's never a bad idea to up your water intake, but it's especially important in the summer when you're more likely to be dehydrated. And of course, if your water has electrolytes mixed in, even better—which brings us to our next point.

Get those electrolytes.

Along with making sure you're drinking enough water, you might want to add electrolyte packets into the mix. There are a ton of options available that can help fortify your water with vitamins and minerals, but if you're unsure which to choose, here's a roundup of our favorite electrolyte powders.

Eat mineral-rich foods.

Last but not least, to make up for any minerals lost in sweat, be sure to eat plenty of mineral-rich foods on the daily. Here are some of our faves to keep in mind during your next trip to the grocery store:

Quality red meat
Shellfish
Whole grains
Yogurt
Nuts and seeds
Leafy greens
Bananas
Chickpeas
Avocados
Organ meats
Beans
Lentils

The takeaway

The more you sweat, the more you'll want to pay attention to your electrolyte levels. Whether you're an everyday athlete or you're just sweating more in the summer heat, when in doubt, drink more water and up those vitamins and minerals!

†Compared to 59 multivitamins from 15 leading brands, mindbodygreen's ultimate multivitamin+ is the most comprehensive multivitamin in the market, providing the largest number of active ingredients in meaningful doses (no sprinkling or proprietary blends) in just 2 pills. One serving (2 capsules) of ultimate multivitamin+ delivers 33 unique active ingredients. This high-potency formula provides up to 3 times more active ingredients (i.e., vitamins, minerals, botanicals, and other bioactives) than other multivitamins in the market, which can sometimes feature less than 10 active ingredients.
If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking medications, consult with your doctor before starting a supplement routine. It is always optimal to consult with a health care provider when considering what supplements are right for you.