Are You Depleted and Drained of Energy and Vitality?

What does “depletion” look like?  In my mind, the opposite of depletion is “being at the top of your game”.  Your best self physically, emotionally, spiritually, athletically, socially…thid is the opposite of depletion.  When trying to picture what depletion looks like, it’s easier to identify what it “isn’t” because there are so many ways it could present.

A recent exercise-induced run-in with a severe electrolyte imbalance (depletion) gave me a glimpse of what this looks like when it’s extreme.  Heartbeat irregularities, fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath, sluggish thinking, dizziness, anxiety and sleep difficulty.  My experience was severe but short-lived.  I’m kind of grateful for it because it got me thinking about how many people have a version of some or all of these symptoms all the time, with varying intensity.

It got me thinking that maybe sleep problems, anxiety, fatigue sluggish thinking weakness and heart-related symptoms can and may all be related to some form of depletion.  Our North American health care paradigm often chalks this up to trying to find what’s broken, what’s sick, what to remove, and what to label. 

Electrolytes are minerals that carry an electric charge when they are dissolved in a liquid such as blood. The blood electrolytes—sodium, potassium, chloride, and bicarbonate—help regulate nerve and muscle function and maintain acid-base balance and water balance.

We talk about drinking water, we relate to being “dehydrated” to not drinking enough water, yet, being over hydrated with water can also cause us to become electrolyte depleted.

According to the Merck manual, “if the balance of electrolytes is disturbed, disorders can develop. For example, an electrolyte imbalance can result from the following:

• Becoming dehydrated or overhydrated
• Taking certain drugs
• Having certain heart, kidney, or liver disorders

Please read this carefully.  The following are symptoms of electrolyte imbalance:

• Irregular heartbeat
• Fast heart rate
• Sleep problems
• Anxiety
• Fatigue
• Lethargy
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• shortness of breath
• Diarrhoea or constipation
• Abdominal cramping
• Muscle cramping
• Muscle weakness
• Irritability
• Confusion
• Headaches
• Numbness and tingling
• Convulsions and seizures

These symptoms are so incredibly common yet how many times do we discuss our electrolyte balance?  Anti-anxiety and anti-depression meds are the most highly prescribed class of medications as we speak.  Fatigue, headaches and sleep problems are so common, they’re now practically labelled as “normal”. 

I have taken electrolytes in the past but mostly after crazy athletic endeavor or when I’ve had too much sun or when I’ve been hung-over (in my college days - of course). 

I’ve just ordered a blood test to see what my electrolyte levels are and in the meantime, I’m taking them every day.  The above-listed symptoms permeate many of us, yet I’ve never really had a conversation about the importance of electrolytes as a wellness tool.

I’m looking into it.  In the meantime, I encourage you to start electrolytes on a daily basis…and we’re not talking about Gatorade, Vitamin water or Powerade.