What is Electrolyte Imbalance?
An electrolyte imbalance is when the concentrations of certain blood minerals are either higher or lower than they should to be for contributing to important body processes. There are 6 primary subsets of electrolyte imbalances:
hyponatremia / hypernatremia - low or high blood sodium levels
hypocalcemia / hypercalcemia - low or high blood calcium levels
hypokalemia / hyperkalemia - low or high blood potassium levels
hypomagnesemia / hypermagnesemia - low or high blood magnesium levels
hypochloremia / hyperchloremia - low or high blood chlorine levels
hypophosphatemia / hyperphosphatemia - low or high blood phosphate levels
It is possible to have different electrolyte imbalances occurring at the same time, and they are more common for elderly people or anyone who is critically ill. Severe electrolyte imbalances may leads to serious health risks if the imbalance is uncorrected.
What Causes Electrolyte Imbalance?
Electrolyte imbalances are most often caused medical conditions, disease, medication use, sickness or illness, dietary choices, malnutrition, dehydration, vitamin deficiencies, autoimmune conditions, or alcohol abuse. People with poor blood circulation may be more prone to having electrolyte imbalances, and hyponatremia may be seen more regularly in people who participate in high-endurance athletics.
Type 2 diabetics are more likely to have hypomagnesemia, and individuals who get too much salt in their diet are at greater risk for both hypernatremia and hyperchloremia. Malnutrition is a leading factor in hypophosphatemia, and people who need to be on heart failure prevent medications (Beta, Angiotensin-II receptor blockers) will be more likely to have hyperkalemia.
Electrolyte Imbalance Symptoms
The most common electrolyte imbalance symptoms are fatigue, confusion, headache, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, frequent urination, elevated heart rate, constipation muscle cramps and weakness, incoordination when walking, and bone pain. Experiencing any of these symptoms will be based on the type of electrolyte imbalance, and some of them will not be associated with certain types. In severe cases electrolyte imbalances may cause heart rhythm abnormalities, seizures, or coma.
Electrolyte Imbalance Treatment
The standard approach to electrolyte imbalance treatment is to provide oral supplementation of the minerals that are deficient in the blood. It may also be beneficial to increase or decrease the amounts of certain foods in your diet to address electrolyte imbalances. For more common ones like low blood sodium and low blood magnesium a person can often quickly remedy their imbalance by drinking an electrolyte sports drink.
