Electrolytes: Foods, Low Electrolyte Symptoms and How Much Is Too Much

Electrolytes are minerals, mainly sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium and magnesium, that carry an electrical charge in body fluids and help control fluid balance, nerve signals and muscle contractions, including your heartbeat. You need them every day, but most healthy adults get enough from regular meals and water, and an electrolyte drink mainly helps after hours of heavy sweating or during vomiting or diarrhea. Potassium comes from fruit, vegetables, beans and dairy, magnesium from nuts, seeds, whole grains and leafy greens, and sodium from salt, which most Americans already get more than enough of. This guide explains what electrolytes do, which foods have electrolytes, the signs of low electrolytes, when an electrolyte drink makes sense, whether electrolytes give you energy, how to get electrolytes naturally, and how much is too much.

It is educational, not medical advice.

Key Takeaways

• Food covers most needs: potassium is in dried apricots, bananas, potatoes, spinach, beans, milk and fish, and magnesium is in legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains and leafy greens (NIH ODS; NIH ODS).
• Sodium is the exception: Americans eat about 3,400 mg of sodium a day on average, while the Dietary Guidelines advise adults to stay under 2,300 mg (FDA).
• Low electrolytes can cause fatigue, headaches, muscle cramps or weakness, nausea, confusion and an irregular heartbeat, and are often linked to vomiting, diarrhea, heavy sweating, fever or drinking too much water (Cleveland Clinic).
• Energy is indirect: in 25 healthy young women, losing just 1.36% of body weight as water lowered mood and concentration and raised fatigue and headaches (Armstrong et al., 2012).

What Are Electrolytes?

Electrolytes are minerals that carry a positive or negative electrical charge when they dissolve in body fluids such as blood (Cleveland Clinic). The main ones and their jobs:

• Sodium controls fluid levels and helps nerves and muscles work.
• Potassium supports heart, nerve and muscle function and helps move nutrients into cells and waste out of them.
• Calcium helps blood vessels contract and relax and helps release hormones and enzymes.
• Magnesium helps nerves and muscles work and supports healthy bones and teeth (Cleveland Clinic).
• Chloride helps keep blood volume, blood pressure and body fluids in balance and is part of stomach juices (Cleveland Clinic; MedlinePlus).
• Phosphate supports bones as well as nerve and muscle function (Cleveland Clinic).
• Bicarbonate helps keep the balance of acids and bases (pH) in your blood (Cleveland Clinic).

Your kidneys and other organs constantly move electrolytes in and out of cells to keep fluid levels balanced (Cleveland Clinic).

Foods With Electrolytes

These are the foods the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements lists as good sources, plus where most sodium comes from:

Electrolyte	Foods that provide it	Daily target for adults
Potassium	Dried apricots, prunes, raisins, orange juice, bananas, acorn squash, potatoes, spinach, tomatoes, broccoli, lentils, kidney beans, soybeans, nuts, milk, yogurt, meat, poultry and fish (NIH ODS)	3,400 mg for men, 2,600 mg for women (NIH ODS)
Magnesium	Legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains, spinach and other leafy greens, fortified cereals, milk and yogurt (NIH ODS)	400 to 420 mg for men, 310 to 320 mg for women (NIH ODS)
Sodium	Table salt, but over 70% comes from packaged and prepared foods (FDA)	Less than 2,300 mg, about 1 teaspoon of salt (FDA)
Calcium	Milk, yogurt and cheese, canned sardines and salmon with bones, kale, broccoli and Chinese cabbage (bok choy), plus calcium-fortified juices, plant milks, tofu and cereals (NIH ODS)	1,000 mg for adults 19 to 50 and men 51 to 70, 1,200 mg for women 51 and older and everyone 71 and older (NIH ODS)
Chloride	Table salt and sea salt (sodium chloride), plus seaweed, rye, tomatoes, lettuce, celery and olives (MedlinePlus)	2,300 mg for adults 19 to 50, 2,000 mg at 51 to 70, 1,800 mg at 71 and older (MedlinePlus)

A plate built around vegetables, beans, fruit and some dairy or fish covers potassium and magnesium well. For more on magnesium, see our magnesium glycerophosphate ingredient page, magnesium glycinate benefits and our list of foods high in magnesium.

Low Electrolytes Symptoms

A slight imbalance may cause no noticeable changes. When symptoms do appear, they can include (Cleveland Clinic):

• Fatigue and headaches
• Muscle cramps, spasms or weakness
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Confusion and irritability
• Numbness or tingling in the hands, feet, fingers or toes
• An irregular or fast heartbeat

Common triggers are losing fluid through vomiting, diarrhea, heavy sweating or fever, not drinking enough, or drinking far too much plain water (Cleveland Clinic). Many of these symptoms have other causes too; an electrolyte panel is the blood test that measures your levels (Cleveland Clinic).

Do Electrolytes Give You Energy?

Not directly. Electrolytes are not a fuel; their link to energy runs through hydration and nerve and muscle function. If you are low on fluid, replacing it can help you feel better: in a controlled study, 25 healthy young women who lost 1.36% of their body weight as water during exercise reported worse mood, more fatigue, lower concentration and more headaches than when they were well hydrated (Armstrong et al., 2012). For other reasons you might feel drained, see vitamins for energy and supplements for energy without the crash.

If you are low on energy, vitamin B12 is another nutrient worth checking; our chart of vitamin B12 foods lists the best sources.

How to Get Electrolytes Naturally

1. Eat potassium-rich produce at most meals, such as potatoes, spinach, tomatoes, bananas, beans and lentils (NIH ODS).
2. Add magnesium foods, like a handful of nuts or seeds, whole grains and leafy greens (NIH ODS).
3. Keep salt in check, since packaged and restaurant foods already supply most of the sodium people eat (FDA).
4. Drink water through the day and with meals, and more in heat or during long exercise, but avoid forcing down large amounts of plain water, which can itself upset electrolyte balance (Cleveland Clinic).
5. Replace fluid after vomiting, diarrhea or heavy sweating, when electrolyte losses are largest (Cleveland Clinic).

Electrolyte Drinks vs Water: When Do You Need One?

For daily life and most workouts, water and regular meals are enough. NIOSH, the CDC's workplace safety institute, says that eating regular meals with enough water is generally sufficient to maintain water and electrolyte balance, and that salt lost in sweat can usually be replaced by normal meals and snacks (NIOSH). An electrolyte drink makes more sense in a few situations:

• Long or hot exercise or work: for prolonged sweating lasting several hours, NIOSH lists sports drinks with balanced electrolytes as another option (NIOSH).
• Vigorous sports: MedlinePlus advises drinking fluids such as sports drinks that contain electrolytes during sports or other vigorous activity, to keep blood sodium in a healthy range (MedlinePlus).
• Vomiting or diarrhea: these drain fluid and electrolytes together, and an oral rehydration solution replaces both (Cleveland Clinic).

There are trade offs. Heavy use of sports drinks adds unnecessary calories from added sugar, and drinking too much of any fluid, sports drinks included, can push the salt level in your blood too low (NIOSH).

Homemade Electrolytes

For everyday hydration, the simplest homemade electrolyte drink is water alongside a meal or snack that contains potassium-rich foods and a little salt, which covers sodium, potassium and magnesium together (NIH ODS; FDA). A glass of orange juice or milk also supplies potassium (NIH ODS). During illness with vomiting or diarrhea, or after hours of heavy sweating, use a ready-made oral rehydration product as directed, and get medical care if you cannot keep fluids down.

Electrolytes for Fasting

When you skip meals, you also skip the foods that supply most of your potassium and magnesium (NIH ODS; NIH ODS). For short fasts, eating a varied, produce-rich diet on your eating days usually covers your needs. If you fast for longer, have a health condition, or take medicines such as diuretics, talk to a healthcare provider before fasting or adding electrolyte supplements. For how different fasting schedules compare, see our guide to fasting and longevity.

How Much Electrolytes Is Too Much?

From food, it is hard to overdo potassium or magnesium if your kidneys work normally, because the excess leaves in urine (NIH ODS; NIH ODS). Supplements and powders are different:

• Sodium: many electrolyte drinks add sodium on top of a diet that is already above the 2,300 mg limit for most people (FDA).
• Potassium: people with chronic kidney disease or who take certain medicines, such as ACE inhibitors or potassium-sparing diuretics, can develop high blood potassium even from normal food amounts; potassium supplements and salt substitutes can make it worse (NIH ODS).
• Magnesium: the upper limit from supplements and medicines is 350 mg a day for adults; more can cause diarrhea, nausea and cramping, and extremely high intakes can affect heart rhythm (NIH ODS).

So can you drink too many electrolytes? Yes, if you drink several electrolyte packets a day without heavy sweating or illness, especially with a kidney condition or on medicines that affect potassium.

When to See a Doctor

Get medical help for vomiting or diarrhea that lasts more than a day or two, signs of dehydration you cannot reverse by drinking, confusion, a fast or irregular heartbeat, or severe muscle weakness. Ask your doctor before using electrolyte or potassium supplements if you have kidney or heart disease or take blood pressure medicines or diuretics (NIH ODS).

Frequently Asked Questions

What foods have electrolytes?

Potassium is in fruit such as bananas and dried apricots, potatoes, spinach, beans, milk and fish (NIH ODS); magnesium is in nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains and leafy greens (NIH ODS); and sodium is in salt and most packaged foods (FDA).

Do electrolytes give you energy?

Only indirectly. If you are mildly dehydrated, restoring fluid can improve fatigue and concentration (Armstrong et al., 2012), but electrolytes are not a fuel source.

What are the symptoms of low electrolytes?

Fatigue, headaches, muscle cramps or weakness, nausea, confusion, tingling and an irregular heartbeat are common signs (Cleveland Clinic).

How can I get electrolytes naturally?

Eat vegetables, fruit, beans, nuts, seeds and whole grains, include some dairy or fish, and drink water with meals (NIH ODS; NIH ODS).

Can you have too many electrolytes?

Yes, mainly from supplements and drinks rather than food. Extra sodium is common (FDA), potassium can build up in people with kidney disease or on certain medicines (NIH ODS), and too much supplemental magnesium causes diarrhea (NIH ODS).

How much electrolytes is too much in a day?

Aim for under 2,300 mg of sodium (FDA) and keep supplemental magnesium at or below 350 mg (NIH ODS). Potassium from food has not been shown to harm healthy people with normal kidney function, but potassium supplements need a doctor's advice if you have kidney disease or take medicines that raise potassium (NIH ODS).

Are electrolytes good while fasting?

Food is the main source of potassium and magnesium, so longer fasts can leave gaps (NIH ODS; NIH ODS). Talk to a healthcare provider before extended fasting or daily electrolyte supplements, especially if you take medicines.

What is a simple homemade electrolyte drink?

Water with a salted, potassium-rich snack, or a glass of orange juice or milk, covers everyday needs (NIH ODS; FDA). For illness, use a ready-made oral rehydration product as directed.

Do I need electrolytes every day?

Yes. Your body uses sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium and magnesium every day to keep fluid levels, nerves, muscles and your heartbeat working, and it loses some in urine and sweat. Most healthy adults do not need a daily electrolyte drink, though: eating regular meals with enough water is generally sufficient to maintain water and electrolyte balance (NIOSH).

What are the 7 main electrolytes?

The seven most often listed are sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, magnesium, phosphate and bicarbonate. Sodium and chloride mainly manage body fluids and blood pressure, potassium supports the heart, nerves and muscles, calcium and magnesium help muscles, nerves and blood vessels work, phosphate supports bones, and bicarbonate keeps blood pH balanced (Cleveland Clinic).

Is coconut water good for electrolytes?

Coconut water naturally contains potassium, sodium, chloride and a little sugar, though amounts vary between coconuts. In one study, 12 exercise-trained men who lost about 2% of their body weight during an hour of treadmill exercise rehydrated about equally well with coconut water, bottled water or a sports drink, but felt more bloated and had more stomach upset with coconut water (Kalman et al., 2012).

Can drinking too much water lower your electrolytes?

Yes. Drinking too much water or other fluids can make the salt level in your blood too low, which can be a medical emergency (NIOSH). Low blood sodium, called hyponatremia, can cause headache, nausea, fatigue, confusion, muscle cramps and, at worst, convulsions (MedlinePlus). For work in the heat, NIOSH advises about 1 cup of water every 15 to 20 minutes and no more than 48 ounces an hour (NIOSH).

For more everyday habits that support steady energy, see our science-based morning routine, how to boost metabolism naturally, magnesium glycinate side effects and our non-stimulant energy and focus hub.

Sources

• Armstrong LE, et al. Mild dehydration affects mood in healthy young women. J Nutr. 2012. PubMed 22190027
• NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Potassium: Fact Sheet for Consumers. NIH ODS
• NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Magnesium: Fact Sheet for Consumers. NIH ODS
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Sodium in Your Diet. FDA
• Cleveland Clinic. Electrolyte Imbalance: Types, Symptoms, Causes and Treatment. Cleveland Clinic
• NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Calcium: Fact Sheet for Consumers. NIH ODS
• MedlinePlus. Chloride in diet. U.S. National Library of Medicine. MedlinePlus
• MedlinePlus. Low blood sodium. U.S. National Library of Medicine. MedlinePlus
• National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Heat Stress: Hydration. NIOSH Publication No. 2017-126. 2017. CDC Stacks
• Kalman DS, et al. Comparison of coconut water and a carbohydrate-electrolyte sport drink on measures of hydration and physical performance in exercise-trained men. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2012. PubMed 22257640

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