GLOSSARY

Electrolyte is a substance forming ions in solution and enabling electrical conduction; ion identity and amount matter in nutrition.

Electrolytes form ions in solution and contribute to electrical conduction. Body ions support fluid balance, nerve signaling and muscle contraction. Not all minerals are equally important for sweat replacement. An electrolyte label guarantees neither sufficient sodium nor carbohydrate or water. Match the actual composition to exercise conditions and personal needs rather than assuming products with the same category name are interchangeable.

Sodium is mainly the extracellular cation and potassium mainly intracellular; chloride and other anions contribute to charge balance. Selective membranes, transporters and energy expenditure maintain these distributions. Blood concentration does not directly report muscle content. Movement between compartments may occur faster than changes in total stores and can affect a sample even without a corresponding dietary change.

For example, record electrolytes from ordinary foods and drinks using actual portions; a source name without serving size does not establish daily adequacy.

Concentration is substance per volume, distinct from total body content. Water shifts can raise or lower a value without a proportional change in total element amount. Unit conversion also distinguishes mass from particle quantity; ion charge matters for some units. Interpretation after exercise therefore considers sampling time and fluid status rather than relying solely on the printed laboratory number.