What’s the Fuss About Electrolytes?

Written By Grace Tracey

What do fatigue, poor digestion, slowed metabolism, hair loss, and sleep issues have in common?

Answer: Mineral deficiencies - aka electrolytes.

These are ALL symptoms I have dealt with. All at once. And so have my clients. One KEY action step I have taken to help my health - and that of my clients - is working on mineral support. It is a crucial part of healing.

What Are Electrolytes?

Electrolytes are minerals that carry an electrical charge and help regulate SO many key functions in the body. The main minerals we focus on most are:

  • Sodium

  • Potassium

  • Magnesium

  • Calcium

Why Electrolytes Are So Important

Electrolytes do more than “hydrate”— every cell in your body needs minerals to function properly.

They support:

  • Adrenal function

  • Thyroid function

  • Hormone function

  • Metabolism

  • Energy levels (low electrolytes can feel like fatigue or burnout)

  • Blood pressure regulation

  • Exercise recovery

Unfortunately, our soils (and therefore our foods) no longer contain the necessary amounts of minerals for humans to thrive, and sadly, supplementing in some capacity is pretty non-negotiable at this point. Of course, we start with diet. Yet, even if you are working very hard to support minerals via your food, modern life is depleting us faster than we can replenish. This is like making constant withdrawals from a bank account and never depositing enough money back in.

What Depletes Minerals:

The biggest offender is stress.

Chronic stress in particular. It’s no longer just about your stressful job (even though that matters too) - it’s keeping up with the pace of having TONS to do, TONS we want to accomplish, going on social media and comparing ourselves to others, always striving and never arriving. It’s the constant go-go-go pace of life, always worrying, hearing bad news constantly from around the globe….

Now, add into that:

Nutrient-poor diets

Inflammation

Poor gut health

Unavoidable toxin exposure….

And the result is….. our bodies are now STRUGGLING. This is when symptoms start to appear. Weight gain, hair loss, bloating, trouble sleeping, aches and pains, low energy…

The good news is, we can take action!

What to Look For (and Avoid) in Electrolyte Products

Adding minerals to your water is a great way to support your daily intake of these crucial nutrients.

However - not all electrolyte drinks are created equal.

This is my ultimate peeve.

Watching companies jump on the bandwagon of selling electrolytes, yet not putting in the work to create a quality product. Even celebrities are jumping into this market and producing subpar products. Added cane sugar, poor quality sodium, preservatives, added flavors - you're much better off just adding sea salt to your water (more on that later).

Keep an eye out for:

  • A balance of sodium, potassium, and magnesium (not just high sodium)

  • Minimal, clean ingredients (the fewer the better)

Be cautious of:

  • Added sugars (cane sugar, sucrose, anything with the ending -ose)*

  • Artificial sweeteners and added flavors

  • Additional mystery ingredients and preservatives you don’t recognize - citric acid as an example, is often made from GMO corn

  • Electrolytes that don’t specify what form of minerals are in their product (Potassium citrate? Magnesium malate? Where is the sodium from?)

  • *I am also not a fan of most electrolyte powders that have stevia and/or monkfruit either. These may not spike blood sugar, but I find that they mess with gut function and metabolism. Just my professional opinion. It’s almost impossible to find a pre-made electrolyte powder without sweetener, though.

Food-Based Minerals Count Too

As I mentioned, electrolytes don’t only come from powders you have to buy. You can support hydration through:

  • Bone broth or veggie broth

  • Coconut water / coconut products

  • Fruits and vegetables

  • Adrenal cocktails

These options, often combined together throughout the day, create a well-rounded approach to mineral support.

How to Get Started:

My Simple DIY “Adrenal Cocktail”

This is a gentle and clean way to support adrenal health and electrolyte balance, without added ingredients

Ingredients:

  • 8 oz water*

  • Juice from 1 organic orange (or any citrus)

  • 4 oz coconut water

  • 1/8 tsp high-quality sea salt (such as Celtic sea salt)

  • 1/8 tsp cream of tartar

    • *add as much water as you want based on how concentrated you want it and ensuring you can drink it within an hour or so

Optional add-ins:

  • 1 scoop collagen peptides

  • 1 Tbl coconut cream

Why it works:

  • Orange juice → Vitamin C

  • Coconut water → potassium + minerals

  • Sea salt → sodium + minerals

  • Cream of tartar →more potassium support

  • Collagen → protein

  • Coconut cream → potassium + healthy fats

This combination supports blood sugar, adrenal function, and cellular function without any added junk. I make some version of this every morning and can attest to how much this habit has helped me.

You really don’t need to buy electrolyte powders, and I promise you, there is nothing magical in them that you cannot get on your own.

If you try an adrenal cocktail, send me a DM to let me know what you think!

Grace Tracey
Next

The Power of Protein