Are you fasting, but feeling drained and lethargic? That’s because when you fast, your body eliminates electrolytes through urine and sweat. If you don’t replace them, you may become dehydrated and experience symptoms like headaches, fatigue, and dizziness.
But how do you get electrolytes while fasting? We’ll cover the basics of electrolytes, how to get electrolytes while fasting, and how to make homemade electrolytes while fasting. By the end of this post, you’ll have a better understanding of electrolytes and how to get them while fasting, and how to manage Keto flu symptoms on intermittent fasting.
What Are Electrolytes?
Electrolytes are essential minerals in your blood, urine and other body fluids that carry an electric charge. They are important because they help regulate the amount of water in your body, the acidity of your blood (pH), your muscle function, and other important processes.
Common electrolytes include sodium, potassium, and calcium.
Sodium
This mineral is essential to maintaining equilibrium within and outside cells and is necessary for proper nerve and muscle activity and blood pressure. If you’re deficient, you can expect headaches and spasms.
The Daily Value of sodium is between 1500-2300 mg according to FDA.
Potassium
Potassium is often considered as the most important electrolyte. It’s a vital electrolyte that assists with regulation of fluid balance and nerve and muscle function.
Adequate potassium intake may also help prevent kidney stones, reduces your risk of high blood pressure and maintain bone health.
The FDA updated the Daily Value of Potassium to 4700 mg.
Calcium
Everyone knows calcium makes your bones strong but did you know it also keeps your heartbeat steady and facilitates muscle contraction and blood clotting?
The updated Daily Value of calcium according to FDA is 1300 mg.
Why Do You Need Electrolytes When Fasting?
Intermittent fasting has become a trend lately with people all over giving it a go.
It’s a pattern of alternating between consuming meals and fasting – usually, this means having a set window of time where you can eat, such as 8 hours, and then not eating at all for the other 16 hours.
Reducing your daily caloric intake helps you lose weight and improve insulin sensitivity
Electrolytes are crucial in maintaining your well-being. When you suffer from electrolyte deficiency, it can cause various unfavorable effects on your well-being.
Here’s how electrolytes help you manage electrolyte imbalance.
Electrolytes help in nerve and muscle function
Electrolytes are required for proper muscle performance, and when amounts are inadequate, you may suffer from painful muscle cramps.
Electrolytes help you stay energized
Electrolytes are necessary for holding up your energy levels, and if there are not enough of them, you’ll feel tired and worn out.
Feeling Thirsty? Electrolytes help keep your body hydrated
When you become dehydrated, you’re at risk of negative health effects such as dry skin and lips, kidney problems, increased risk of heatstroke and even decreased physical performance.
Dizzy spells
When you lose electrolytes it can mess with your blood pressure and make you feel lightheaded or dizzy.
How to get electrolytes while fasting
Electrolytes are essential for maintaining optimal health. They’re responsible for helping to maintain fluid balance and blood sugar levels, as well as energizing the body.
When fasting, it’s important to ensure you’re taking in enough electrolytes to avoid any health risks. Below, we’ll outline the best sources of electrolytes for increasing energy and preventing health risks during fasting.
Water
If you’re wondering how to get electrolytes while fasting, water is the top choice. You can give it a salty kick with a pinch of Himalayan pink salt, and even a few drops of lemon.
Broths
Broths are also teeming with minerals that help keep you hydrated; veggie and bone broths are great options for increasing electrolyte intake.
Avocados
Don’t forget about avocados for a potassium and magnesium boost – have them as a snack or add them to salads or smoothies.
Nuts and Seeds
Nuts and seeds like almonds, cashews, and pumpkin seeds are also full of magnesium and minerals and can be eaten as a snack or added to meals.
Homemade Electrolytes For Fasting
Making electrolyte drinks at home is simple, and only requires a glass or water bottle, a teaspoon, and a source of electrolytes (salt, potassium, magnesium).
To make the drink, simply add the desired amount of electrolytes to the glass or water bottle, and then add water until it reaches the top of the container. Swirl or stir the mixture until the electrolytes are fully dissolved, and then drink as needed.
Another homemade electrolyte drink can be created with avocados.
Cut one avocado in half, and spoon the flesh into a blender. Along with the avocado, add two glasses of water, one tablespoon of lemon juice, and a quarter teaspoon of Himalayan salt to the blender.
Mixture should be smooth and creamy after blending.
Keto Flu symptoms during intermittent fasting
Keto Flu is a term that’s used to refer to a set of symptoms that some folks encounter when they jump on the low-carb, high-fat diet bandwagon or start intermittent fasting.
These side effects are much like the flu and can include headaches, queasiness, wooziness, exhaustion, irritability, difficulty sleeping, constipation, and diarrhea.
Apparently, it’s all due to a temporary imbalance of electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and magnesium in the body.
When you follow a low-carb, high-fat diet or fast for long periods of time, your body starts to produce ketones and that’s what your body uses for energy instead of glucose.
This process can cause the body to excrete more electrolytes, leading to an electrolyte imbalance, thus resulting in the Keto flu.
Preventing Keto Flu during fasting
If you want to reduce Keto flu symptoms while fasting, here are some tips you can follow:
1. Take it easy
Don’t jump right into a Keto state – ease into it gradually over a few days or weeks. This will help your body adjust to the changes without discomfort.
2. Stay hydrated
Make sure to drink plenty of fluids and electrolytes like bone broth or sports drinks to make sure you’re not dehydrated.
3. Shake it up
Make sure to add a pinch of salt to your meals or salt water to keep your sodium levels in check.
4. Potassium and magnesium
Don’t forget about these important minerals for electrolyte balance – eating avocados and spinach will help!
Do you need Electrolyte Supplements?
What you need in terms of electrolyte supplementation really depends on a lot of factors. Let’s break it down:
What do you eat? If you’re eating a good variety of food, like fruits, veg, nuts, and seeds, you probably won’t need any extra electrolytes. But if you’re vegetarian or vegan, you might have to pay more attention to what you’re getting.
What kind of exercise do you do? High-intensity exercise can cause you to sweat out electrolytes, so if you’re doing a lot of that, you might need some extra supplementation to keep that balance right.
And finally, any health conditions you have to consider? If you have something like kidney disease, you may need to take medications or supplements
Electrolyte supplements to consider
There are many electrolyte supplements available on the market, and it can be difficult to know which one to choose.
Here are three electrolyte supplements that may help you replenish electrolytes lost during fasting:
Potassium citrate is a type of salt that is often used to replenish electrolytes. It is helpful in preventing kidney stones by reducing calcium levels in the urine. It also has an alkalizing effect and helps in regulating blood pressure.
Sodium chloride is another type of salt that can be used to replenish electrolytes. Remember to choose Himalayan salt instead of sea salt as they contain microplastics caused human pollution.
Magnesium glycinate is a mineral that is high absorbable by the body. It also has minimal digestive side effects and it’s good for maintaining healthy electrolyte levels.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gatorade OK while fasting?
If you’re utilizing fasting to manage your eating behavior or sharpen your athletic prowess, taking a Gatorade could be one of the ways how to get electrolytes while fasting, especially if it keeps you energized during your fast.12-oz Serving of Gatorade Zero Thirst Quencher contains zero carbs and calories.
Does lemon water break a fast?
A glass of lemon water isn’t going to ruin your fast since it’s so low in calories and carbs.
According to the USDA, a 16 fl oz. of lemon water has just 9.46 calories and 2.98g of carbs. So if you want to remain in your fast, you’d better not add anything like sugar to the mix!
To Wrap Things Up
In conclusion, electrolytes play an essential role in keeping your body functioning properly.
How to get electrolytes while fasting is vital to ensure that you are replenishing your electrolyte levels through dietary sources such as vegetables and fruits, supplement sources such as multivitamins, or beverages such as water.
Additionally, it is crucial to be aware of potential electrolyte imbalances that can occur due to dehydration or a lack of dietary intake of certain nutrients.
By understanding how electrolytes work and how to balance them while fasting, you can optimize your health and achieve optimal results during this time-sensitive process.
