Electrolytes

Definition: Certain minerals (magnesium, chloride, potassium, and calcium) that  split into electrically charged particles called ions when dissolved in liquid, i.e., water.

  • Positively and negatively charged ions balance to neutral in a liquid solution

  • A change in balance forces ions to move, which creates energy

"Many vital body processes depend on the movement of ions across cell membranes."

-- American Medical Association, Encyclopedia of Medicine


Technical Paper:  AfterBuzz Adobe Acrobat File - PDF


Important Ions and Their Roles in the Body

Cations - Positively charged ions
(pronounced “cat-ions”)
 

Cations and their functions
 

  • Magnesium - Nerve conduction; muscle contraction; bone and tooth formation; water balance; acid-base balance

  • Sodium - Nerve conduction; muscle contraction; water balance; acid-base balance

  • Potassium - Nerve conduction; water balance; muscle contraction

  • Calcium - Nerve conduction; muscle contraction; blood clotting; bone and tooth formation


Anions - Negatively charged ions
(pronounced “ann-ions”)

Anions and their functions
 

  • Chloride - Acid base balance; water balance; component of stomach acid.

  • Bicarbonate - Acid base balance; neutralizes stomach acid


Many electrolytes / ions work together as opposite, but essential sides of the same coin. For example, magnesium, sodium, potassium, calcium, and chloride all work together to regulate heart rhythm.

Technical Paper:
 Ions: The Body's Electrical Energy Source, by Mark Nielsen Adobe Acrobat File - PDF