Electrolytes may not get a lot of attention when it comes to learning about what keeps us healthy, but these important micronutrients play a big role in keeping your body healthy and balanced.
Containing tiny electrical charges, electrolytes regulate your heartbeat, support normal nerve signaling, and keep your muscles and organs functioning smoothly. If you don’t have an optimal amount of electrolytes, your health can quickly start to suffer.
At Houston Kidney Specialists Center, our team is skilled at both diagnosing and treating electrolyte deficiencies, helping patients rebalance electrolyte levels and avoid complications. Here’s what causes these deficiencies and what symptoms you need to be aware of.
Most of us get the electrolytes we need from our diets. Even though the term “electrolytes” may not be familiar to you, there’s a good chance you’re very familiar with some of the most common ones — sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium.
You can find these micronutrients in lots of foods, including leafy green vegetables, dairy products, nuts, and seafood. While it’s definitely possible to develop a deficiency from a poor diet, many people with electrolyte imbalances develop them for other reasons.
Dehydration can cause an acute imbalance. Excessive sweating, recurrent or persistent vomiting, and diarrhea can lead to dehydration, which in turn can deplete your body of electrolytes. On the flip side, over-dehydration (while much less likely) can dilute electrolytes, causing dangerous imbalances.
Finally, many people with electrolyte imbalances have underlying medical issues that are to blame, including:
Diseases or disorders that alter the way your body absorbs nutrients can cause deficiencies, and medications that impair or alter absorption can contribute to electrolyte imbalances, too.
Electrolyte imbalances can cause a wide variety of symptoms, sometimes so subtle or confusing, it’s easy to attribute them to something else. Some of the symptoms include:
More severe imbalances can lead to seizures and even death, especially if your heart function and activity are affected.
If you have symptoms of an electrolyte disorder, we use blood tests to evaluate your electrolyte levels so we can begin treatment as soon as possible. Depending on what’s causing your imbalance, we may order IV therapy or oral medication to restore normal levels of electrolytes, along with providing lifestyle and health guidance to help avoid imbalances in the future.
If your electrolyte deficiency is caused by kidney disease, you may need dialysis. This advanced treatment option performs the same function as your kidneys, removing wastes like built-up electrolytes from your blood when your kidneys aren’t able to.
Prompt treatment is the key to safely and effectively managing an electrolyte deficiency. Correcting an imbalance quickly can prevent complications and help you return to normal health.
Electrolyte deficiency symptoms can be subtle, but without medical attention, they can quickly lead to serious problems. If you think you might have an electrolyte deficiency — and especially if you have an underlying medical problem — early intervention is critical.
To learn how we can help, request an appointment online or over the phone at our practice locations in Cypress and Houston, Texas, today.
