The E-Lyte Story: Why You Need Electrolytes!
By Edward Kane

Electrolytes turn on all thought and motion, almost like a wall switch. They trigger all events like muscle action by controlling ion channels. Ion channels are the gates that open and close to move life support material to and from cells in the body. Say for example, you want to start running. Your brain starts the signal that initiates a complicated series of timed muscle actions. Every sequence of that function is both timed and controlled by electrolytes.

Body fluids are primarily water and electrolytes. Electrolytes are ions comprised of 4 minerals that include Sodium, (Na) Potassium, (K), Magnesium (Mg), and Calcium (Ca). An ion is the disassociated part of a molecule like salt, (sodium chloride). It comes apart in water and floats in the blood stream as a free atom (ion) of sodium (Na), along with it’s partner, an (ion) of chloride (Cl). Na has a + electrical charge when dissolved in water. Its partner, have which can include Chlorides, Phosphates, Sulphates, or Carbonates, etc., have the - charge. The opposite charges originally attracted them and kept them together until they dissolved in water, whereupon they separated. The ions (+ -) accumulate in the watery blood system of our body. All of our cells use that (+ -) charge differential as a driving force when they isolate (permit) some ions on the inside of the cell and others on the outside. The membrane of every cell is composed of fat and acts as an insulator. By encouraging more of the sodium ions to accumulate in the blood stream, outside the cell (with potassium on the inside), they build up a charge on either side of the cell wall. That charge separation then becomes the driving force for all cells to be able to move the life giving materials in and out of the cell. It’s important to understand this because all the electrolytes are vital for cellular function and especially necessary for high performance. Simply put, without them we could not exist... even with the absence of just one of the basic 4 electrolyte minerals, we would be history.

The list of functions that electrolytes control is endless but include; temperature control / fluid level / cardiac arrhythmia / respiratory rate / digestion / fluid transport across cells / ion transport / renal function (bladder control) / neurological function / signal transduction / thought / memory/ all the senses both gathering information and then transporting that message to the brain and to the muscles including the sense of touch / energy production / glucose metabolism etc. etc. It is easier to count the stars in the sky than to list all the functions in the body controlled by electrolytes. But the body, in its miraculous evolutionary way is structured to maintain it all in some combinatorial marvelous life-giving manner. The majesty of it all is so wondrous that the study of cells and of life can often leave one breathless. We frequently sit back in our research as the concepts unfold and are literally awestruck. The most one can attempt is to try and convey a small picture of this wonder.

The team at ElyteSport is extremely passionate about the science and research regarding electrolytes. Just as all top athletes know that you cannot achieve perfection with out mastering the basics, we at ElyteSport know that you cannot provide the body with the optimal level of energy until you balance the electrolytes required by all the molecules within the body. ElyteSport is the ultimate tool to replenish those vital electrolytes to the correct or optimal ratios. Balance is the key. You drink ElyteSport for improved function and performance. It is not designed to satisfy your taste buds with sugar or fructose like other sweetened sport drinks on the market. In fact, sweet drinks add a burden to metabolic control by forcing the production of insulin to balance your blood sugar levels. So not only do these drinks do little to enhance performance, it’s quite possible that the extra sugar they add is doing more to slow you down.

We welcome any questions or comments that you have about electrolytes and ElyteSport and we look forward to helping you train and compete beyond what you thought was possible.

More:
• The E-Lyte Story: Why You Need Electrolytes!
• Sugar Free Electrolytes
• Compare ElyteSport with other "Sports" drinks
• Pickle Juice
• Taking A Peek Inside a Muscle Cramp
• Night Cramps
• ElyteSport Preloading

References:
• References depicting the difficulty within the Medical Community to Resolve "Cramping"

The information contained in this web site is for educational purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Inclusion here does not imply any endorsement or recommendation.  Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified medical provider for all medical problems prior to starting any new regiment. 

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to treat, diagnose, cure, or prevent any disease.