Electrolytes | You lose three critical minerals every shift

Your nerves and muscles run on minerals. During service, you lose three critical minerals through sweat. Sodium, potassium, and magnesium. When they run low, your nervous system cannot stay stable.

Your body uses these three minerals to keep your nervous system calm and your muscles working. During service, you lose all three through sweat. When they run low, your nervous system cannot stay stable. Heart fluttering or skipping appears. Muscle cramps come without warning. Anxiety or racing thoughts hit even when you are calm. Dehydration that plain water does not fix. Not panic. Just running low on minerals.

Plain water actually makes dehydration worse during service. Your body needs minerals to hold onto water. Without minerals, water just passes through you. People in hot environments or high stress benefit more than those who are not. Sodium and potassium control your nerves. Magnesium lets muscles relax. All three are lost together. All three need to be replaced together.

How to take it

Drink electrolyte drinks every 15 to 20 minutes during your shift. Do not wait until you feel thirsty. Electrolytes are not energy. They are keeping your nervous system stable.

Research sources

Sawka, M.N., et al. (2007) American College of Sports Medicine position stand on exercise and fluid replacement in Journal of Athletic Training on electrolyte depletion and nervous system function

Maughan, R.J. & Shirreffs, S.M. (2010) Dehydration and its effects on performance in Current Sports Medicine Reports on mineral loss through sweat

McLellan, T.M., et al. (2007) Sodium balance and performance during exercise in International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism on mineral requirements under physical stress