Electrolyte Disorders

Electrolyte Balance. – Electrolytes are chemical compounds vital for the normal and healthy function of the human body. These are elements that are naturally occurring in the body that control important functions. Electrolytes include calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphate, potassium and sodium and are present in our blood, bodily fluids and urine. Electrolytes are also present in the food, drinks and supplements we take.

When the levels of electrolytes inside our body goes up or down, or are either too high or too low, disorder occurs. There is imbalance. Maintain the even balance of electrolytes for the proper functioning of your body. If disorder occurs, vital body systems are affected and may lead to problems like coma, cardiac arrest and seizures.

Symptoms of Electrolyte Disorder

Common symptoms of electrolyte disorder are: irregular heartbeat, fatigue, fast heart rate, vomiting, nausea, lethargy, diarrhea or constipation, irritability, headache, confusion, numbness and tingling, abdominal cramping, muscle cramping and muscle weakness.

Causes of electrolyte disorders vary exactly to every specific type of disorder. Loss of bodily fluids through prolonged diarrhea, vomiting or sweating often cause these disorders.  Burns, certain medications and underlying diseases may also cause the disorders due to fluid loss.

Disorder are either due to excessive level or hyper and hypo or depleted levels of electrolytes in the body.

Calcium stabilizes blood pressure, builds strong bones and teeth and controls the skeletal muscle contraction in our body. Calcium disorder would either be hypercalcemia or too much calcium in the blood and hypocalcemia which is the depleted or lack of calcium in the bloodstream.

Magnesium is the mineral that regulates muscle contraction, hear rhythm, and nerve function. Excessive amount of magnesium is hypermagnesemia that is often found in people with Addison’s disease and end-stage kidney disease. Hypomagnesemia occurs when here is very low level of magnesium in the body and is caused by malnutrition, alcohol use disorder, excessive sweating, malabsorption, chronic diarrhea and heart failure. Medication like antibiotics ad diuretics my also cause this disorder.

Sodium regulates nerve function and muscle contraction and maintains fluid balance. When there is excess level of sodium in the blood caused by severe dehydration, inadequate water consumption, loss of fluids brought about by prolonged vomiting and diarrhea, hypernatremia occurs. Hyponatremia also results when there is too low sodium level in the body.

Potassium helps maintain healthy nerves and muscles and is vital in regulating the heart function. High level of potassium or hyperkalemia is caused by severe dehydration, kidney failure and other causes and if left undiagnosed and not treated may be fatal. Too low level of potassium results to hypokalemia  that results from eating disorders, severe vomiting, diarrhea or dehydration.

Chloride is essential for the maintenance of the proper balance of fluids in the body. When there is too much chloride caused by severe dehydration, kidney failure and dialysis, hyperchloremia occurs. Acute kidney injury, eating disorders like anorexia, cystic fibrosis and scorpion stings may cause depletion of chloride levels in the body and results to hypochloremia.

Phosphate interacts with calcium and is essential for various functions. Hyperphosphatemia is the disorder of phosphate that occurs due to low calcium levels, severe muscle injury, underactive thyroid glands, severe breathing difficulties and chronic kidney disease. Hypophosphatemia occurs when there is low levels of phosphate, acute alcohol abuse, starvation, vitamin D deficiency and severe burns.

Treatment of electrolyte disorders may vary on the type of disorder, but its main aim is to restore proper balance of minerals in the body. IV fluids help rehydrate the body. IV medications may help quickly restore balance of electrolyte. Oral medications are commonly taken to treat imbalances of electrolytes like high potassium, calcium and phosphate. Hemodialysis removes waste from your blood.

Alcohol use disorder, cirrhosis, kidney disease, congestive heart failure, anorexia, bulimia, trauma, thyroid and para thyroid disorders are among the conditions that increases the risk of electrolyte disorder. It is best to consult your doctors once you notice commons symptoms of this disorder. Hydration should be strictly observed especially when there is prolong vomiting, diarrhea and sweating. Take supplements such as Lally Naturals Best Electrolyte Supplement to help replace your depleted level of electrolyte and correct the imbalance. Electrolyte Balance.