Your body is teeming with electrolytes . These minerals serve many essential functions, such as maintaining your body’s fluid balance, transporting nutrients, and keeping your heart beating at the right speed.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976299c1f999c-3220-41f8-b85c-6baeedbf5008 It’s fairly easy to consume enough electrolytes if you eat a balanced diet, and your body does a pretty great job of keeping them in balance by filtering any excess through your kidneys and out through your urine.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762976080546-8d71-4361-8e54-f8600b2bcabe But in extreme cases, your body may not be able to regulate electrolyte levels, leading to an electrolyte imbalance.
Definition What Is Electrolyte Imbalance? “An electrolyte imbalance occurs when the body’s electrolytes rise above or fall below the optimal range,” says Morgan Busko, MD , a sports medicine physician at NewYork-Presbyterian Columbia University Irving Medical Center in Eastchester. The main electrolytes are:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762992d638dd-3892-468e-9118-b3390952c9fe Bicarbonate Calcium Chloride Magnesium Phosphate Potassium Sodium Optimal ranges are set at different levels for each electrolyte, and levels can be measured with a blood test. If you have an electrolyte imbalance, you either have too much or too little of one or more electrolytes in your blood. These imbalances are distinguished by the prefixes “hyper” for too much and “hypo” for too little. Imbalances of major electrolytes are described in the following terms:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629707e5c41-4c8f-4269-af76-1975a3434037 Hypercalcemia , or too much calcium Hypocalcemia , or too little calcium Hyperchloremia , or too much chloride Hypochloremia , or too little chloride Hypermagnesemia , or too much magnesium Hypomagnesemia , or too little magnesium Hyperkalemia , or too much potassium Hypokalemia, or too little potassium Hypernatremia, or too much sodium Hyponatremia , or too little sodium It’s also possible to have an imbalance of bicarbonate, an electrolyte that the body produces on its own, unlike the other significant electrolytes, which come from the diet.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629dcd12d5d-7c74-4d92-9d0b-e614fdff76d8 Bicarbonate levels directly impact the pH (the acid-base balance) of your blood. Too much bicarbonate causes acidosis (blood that’s too acidic), and too little bicarbonate causes alkalosis (blood that’s too alkaline).e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976291d7e0eb9-4a06-4209-bb9d-139d96284549
Symptoms Signs and Symptoms of Electrolyte Imbalance Electrolyte imbalances come in many forms, and the symptoms vary depending on which electrolyte is too high or too low. It’s also possible to have multiple electrolyte imbalances at once. Common symptoms of electrolyte imbalance can be mild or severe, according to Kiran Mullur, MD , a clinical assistant professor of family and community medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. “Mild electrolyte imbalances may not cause any symptoms and are sometimes incidentally found on routine blood work,” Dr. Busko says. A basic metabolic panel, which your primary care physician will typically run at every annual visit, tests your blood levels of sodium, potassium , and chloride.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762919024210-9846-4255-aee0-f9d795ccb1a1 Symptoms of more significant electrolyte imbalances may include: Muscle cramps Weakness Fatigue Nausea Headache Thirst Restlessness Irregular heartbeat ( arrhythmia ) Confusion Seizures Coma Cardiac death Because many of these symptoms are vague and could have several underlying causes, critical thinking skills should be used to identify potential electrolyte imbalances. For example, eating far below the four servings of fruits and five servings of vegetables recommended per day may indicate your symptoms are caused by low potassium levels.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976291e32c285-c693-45bd-9e9f-ed6308965ce9 Increase your daily intake of fruits and vegetables (which are rich sources of potassium ) and see if that helps, Busko says. If you notice symptoms during or after intense exercise or time spent in high temperatures, your electrolyte levels could be imbalanced due to excess sweating or from drinking lots of water without replacing electrolytes, Busko says. An electrolyte beverage (like a sports drink) could be helpful in this case, she says. If your symptoms persist after taking these measures, call your doctor and ask them to test for an electrolyte imbalance.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762919024210-9846-4255-aee0-f9d795ccb1a1 Seek immediate medical attention if you experience fainting, an irregular heartbeat (one that speeds up and then slows down or skips beats), extreme weakness, muscle aches, or extreme confusion.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762904b7b269-dad3-4178-a10a-625f957db6cd
Causes Causes and Risk Factors of Electrolyte Imbalance Certain health conditions and environmental factors can impact electrolyte levels. Excessive Sweating Long bouts of exercise or time spent in the heat can cause excessive sweating, leading to a significant loss of electrolytes, primarily sodium.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629d9ccfc47-b665-40e9-a8fc-ba333e9d3804 Vomiting and Diarrhea Severe vomiting or chronic diarrhea can lead to fluid and electrolyte losses, which can cause an imbalance of electrolytes, particularly sodiume60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976291aebe076-1da0-42bb-ad3b-40332ac79608 and potassium.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629778a9232-70e4-4c82-ba5c-eab0faaf7747 Medical Conditions Certain medical conditions can affect your ability to balance electrolytes. People with chronic kidney disease , heart disease , high blood pressure (hypertension), liver disease , and cancer are more likely to develop an electrolyte imbalance.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629e68fb2ab-7747-4774-9f99-f31f3dade262 In the later stages of chronic kidney disease, for example, the kidneys begin losing their ability to filter waste, like excess electrolytes, into the urine. Electrolytes like potassium and phosphorus build up in the body, creating imbalance.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762915749275-851a-4af0-a17b-325c35819657 Medications Prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications — in particular, antibiotics , chemotherapy drugs, corticosteroids, diuretics , and laxatives — can affect electrolyte levels.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629e68fb2ab-7747-4774-9f99-f31f3dade262 For example, diuretic medications, which help the body get rid of excess fluid and salt, can lead to electrolyte imbalances if too much fluid or electrolytes are lost, Dr. Mullur explains. Overhydration If you drink too much water (water intoxication), concentrations of electrolytes (particularly sodium) in the blood become diluted, causing hyponatremia .e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629bdf98c31-25bd-41f4-926a-ca4b3d74e21f
Diagnosis How Is Electrolyte Imbalance Diagnosed? Electrolyte imbalances are diagnosed with a blood test. The basic metabolic panel is a blood test that you get at your annual physical, and anytime you’re admitted to the hospital. It tests levels of sodium, potassium, and chloride. Your doctor can also run a comprehensive metabolic panel, which checks calcium levels.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629650ec1f3-739f-4c86-ba38-40dfb0efbadf If your test results suggest an electrolyte deficiency, your doctor may order more specific tests, such as a magnesium blood test or urine concentration test (which checks the concentration of electrolytes in urine).e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629650ec1f3-739f-4c86-ba38-40dfb0efbadf
Duration Duration of Electrolyte Imbalance The duration of an electrolyte imbalance depends on many factors, including the severity and cause of the imbalance. Mild electrolyte imbalances may not cause symptoms and are often diagnosed during blood tests at an annual physical, so you may not realize you have an imbalance for several months, Busko says. More significant electrolyte imbalances can have severe consequences, including seizure, coma, and death, and must be treated immediately. The time it takes to correct an imbalance depends on the severity and the cause, Busko says. For example, mild imbalances caused by excessive sweating, dehydration, or vomiting could be corrected within a day by oral or intravenous (IV) fluids. Longer-standing mild imbalances — which could be caused by a diet lacking in certain nutrients, a health condition, or something else — could take days or weeks to correct with fluids or a change in diet. More severe imbalances must be treated by a medical provider.
Treatment How to Cure Electrolyte Imbalance: Treatment and Medication Options The best way to treat an electrolyte imbalance depends on which electrolyte is out of balance and how severe the imbalance is. Here are treatment and medication options to consider. At-Home Remedies That Can Help “There are some mild electrolyte imbalances that can be treated with home remedies,” Busko says. For example, a mildly low potassium level can often be corrected just by increasing fruit and vegetable intake, she says. Similarly, exercisers — who often experience dehydration and electrolyte imbalance — can use electrolyte powders in their water or a sports drink to increase the concentration of sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium , phosphate, and magnesium in their blood. “This allows the body to retain more fluid during prolonged efforts,” Busko says. Those who work out for 60 minutes or less, or exercise in cooler environments, probably don’t have to worry an electrolyte imbalance and can skip supplements.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762913b96787-454c-4027-8fce-a7a89699a29f
If you’re hoping to increase your electrolyte intake, electrolyte powder may be the way to go. Here’s our list of the 8 best powders, tested and vetted by experts.
Medication Options “Medications are typically used when severe imbalances cannot be corrected with dietary changes alone,” Mullur says. Your doctor may recommend an oral medicine or supplement that provides more of a specific electrolyte, such as potassium, calcium, or magnesium supplements, or medications to remove excess electrolytes, such as diuretics to flush extra fluid and salt (sodium and chloride) from your body, he says.
Prevention Prevention of Electrolyte Imbalance In some cases, electrolyte imbalances are due to underlying medical conditions, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, eating disorders, kidney disease, and liver disease (like cirrhosis ).e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629f9504e78-ff3c-4a44-bb74-24b0d0ce277a Proper management of these conditions can keep electrolyte levels stable. For most healthy people, electrolyte imbalances can be prevented by doing the following, per Busko: Eat a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Avoid excess salt in the diet. Maintain proper hydration . Replenish electrolytes after excessive sweating, vomiting, and diarrhea. Avoid overuse of electrolyte supplements.
Complications Complications of Electrolyte Imbalance Because electrolytes help our bodies function, a severe electrolyte imbalance can have severe consequences. Hyponatremia (low sodium levels), hypernatremia (high sodium levels), and hypomagnesemia (low magnesium levels) all affect neurological function, sometimes leading to confusion and seizures. Meanwhile, hypokalemia (low potassium levels), hyperkalemia (high potassium levels), and hypocalcemia (low calcium levels) can cause irregular heartbeat and contribute to cardiac death.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629af900636-a967-4d1e-ad3f-5e2680152cb6
Research Research and Statistics: Who Has Electrolyte Imbalance Mild electrolyte imbalances are relatively common and can happen as a result of a diet lacking in nutrients; excessive sweating from exercise or hot temperatures; or vomiting, diarrhea, or dehydration, Mullur says, adding that these imbalances are typically easy to correct with diet and supplements. Infants, young children, athletes, and older adults are more likely to have significant electrolyte imbalances. One study on more than 5,000 adults age 55 and older found that 15 percent of them had at least one electrolyte disorder, with hyponatremia and hypernatremia being the most common.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976295fdcdd8c-03a9-4538-ae6a-489b3a4ea19c Infants and children are at a higher risk for electrolyte imbalances than adults. They’re smaller and have faster metabolisms, which means that dehydration can have a bigger and faster impact on their electrolyte balance.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762971e02e17-4e90-48a3-8bbe-bd33156a9c97 Athletes, particularly endurance athletes, are at a higher risk for sodium deficiencies due to sweat loss. One review of 135 studies concluded that marathon runners face an 8.5 percent chance of developing a sodium deficiency during a race.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976291884c064-d635-406c-8c03-125595c79577 For comparison, the prevalence of hyponatremia (sodium deficiency) in the general U.S. population is about 1.7 percent.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976298a9bad91-9df1-4789-b5fe-31fab1d0c217
Related Conditions Conditions Related to Electrolyte Imbalance Certain health conditions are associated with electrolyte imbalance because they impact how the body manages electrolytes. Kidney Disease and Failure The kidneys filter excess electrolytes into the urine to maintain healthy levels in the body. When the kidneys are damaged — a hallmark of kidney disease — they can’t filter blood properly, causing electrolytes to build up.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629b8ffd7ff-384e-4621-a069-384e41165fa5 If kidney disease worsens, it may lead to kidney failure. When the kidneys fail, hemodialysis (a procedure to remove waste products and excess fluids) is needed regularly to maintain electrolyte balance, Busko says. Cancer and Cancer Treatment Patients with various types of cancer may have electrolyte imbalances caused by side effects of cancer treatments (such as vomiting or diarrhea) or the disease itself.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629bd79665e-0f7f-40f9-9140-e949883aad54 Research shows that hypernatremia, hyperphosphatemia, hypocalcemia, hyperkalemia, and hypermagnesemia are the most common electrolyte imbalances in these instances.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629636b775a-c6e8-4544-b028-d241282a71ab Diabetes People with type 1 and type 2 diabetes are at a higher risk for imbalances of sodium, potassium, magnesium, and phosphate. Factors that increase the risk of electrolyte imbalance in people with diabetes include impaired kidney function, medications that impact potassium levels, increased fluid levels in the body, and insulin deficiency.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629df8cbc43-d324-4cec-b62e-dc8a56bd48d1 Hormone Conditions Certain conditions impact your body’s ability to make hormones that regulate fluid and electrolyte balance. For example, Addison’s disease (also called adrenal gland insufficiency), which occurs when the body makes too little cortisol (a stress hormone), can impair the regulation of sodium, potassium, and water.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629c7a2056a-103d-483d-a6d6-71ccffb8e704 Similarly, hypothyroidism (a condition where the thyroid gland doesn’t make enough thyroid hormone) can lead to low sodium levels.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629748195ce-095f-452d-af98-c51a59ebf341
Takeaway The Takeaway An electrolyte imbalance occurs when the body’s electrolyte levels are lower or higher than the optimal range. In most healthy people, electrolyte imbalances can be prevented with a nutritious diet (plenty of fruits and vegetables), adequate water intake, and electrolyte supplements when necessary. Severe electrolyte imbalances require immediate medical attention and can lead to seizures, coma, and death. Seek immediate medical attention if you experience fainting, an irregular heartbeat (one that speeds up and then slows down or skips beats), extreme weakness, muscle aches, or extreme confusion.
Resources We Trust MedlinePlus: Fluid and Electrolyte BalanceMayo Clinic: HyponatremiaCleveland Clinic: ElectrolytesJohns Hopkins Medicine: Sports and Hydration for AthletesU.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Dietary Guidelines for Americans
