Electrolytes are Necessary for Eliminating SIBO and Gut Dysfunction
In order for the smooth muscles in your gut to contract your smooth muscles require sufficient electrical potential. What does this mean? Well.. it all starts with electrical rhythm. There is always an ongoing baseline electrical rhythm occurring within your cells. This is called resting potential. When that rhythm increases to meet the threshold required to stimulate an action, this is called action potential.
Electrolytes are necessary for normal resting and action potential to occur. Deficient in electrolytes? Science has established that electrolyte deficiencies result in dysfunctional electrical rhythms.
When we talk about the gut we often hear about the importance of magnesium. Magnesium is just one of the electrolytes required for optimal gut function. But, when it comes to the smooth muscle contractions required for adequate gut motility we often overlook the importance of potassium, sodium and calcium. These electrolytes are equally as important.
Symptoms of electrolyte deficiency include:
Confusion and irritability
Diarrhea or constipation
Fatigue
Headaches
Irregular or fast heart rate (arrhythmia)
Muscle cramps, muscle spasms or weakness
Nausea and vomiting
Numbness or tingling in limbs, fingers and toes
Regular blood testing (serum electrolytes) is only going to tell you if you are severely deficient in electrolytes. It doesn’t give us a direct reflection of what is happening on a cellular level. In fact no test does. But, we can get something of an idea if we plug the serum levels into functional medicine ranges OR by doing a hair tissue mineral analysis. Moreover, response to electrolyte supplementation can be revealing.
The problem with many electrolyte supplements is that they contain way too much potassium vs. sodium. Excess potassium can cause hyperkalemia, which is life threatening. Will some people need more potassium? Yes, but not everyone does.
Most people have been brainwashed to think that sodium is bad for them instead of looking for the root cause of their blood pressure issues. Which, ironically, can be due to a deficiency of one of the sister electrolytes, among other things. If you struggle with low blood pressure you actually want a sodium dominant electrolyte product.
I have a few electrolyte products that I have used myself and enjoy recommending for clients. These include LMNT - see HERE
LMNT is by far my favorite as it has a great ratio of sodium to potassium. And a good collection of flavours, which I’ve found easy to incorporate into fun drink recipes. They don’t use citrate in their formulas, which is a plus for those with mold/histamine issues.
Redmond’s Relyte is even better for their electrolyte ratios. See HERE. It is a great option for those who are not sensitive to citrate.
IF you have kidney disease or high blood pressure please check with your doctor before using electrolyte supplements.
References:
Shrimanker I, Bhattarai S. Electrolytes. 2023 Jul 24. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan–. PMID: 31082167.
Slow Wave Potential, Electrical Potential Explained: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiCzzUs2s1Q
