What happens when your body is low on electrolytes?

Feeling unusually wiped trying to get through those last few reps at the gym? Getting random muscle cramps? Struggling to think straight at 3pm, even though you swear you clicked ‘no’ when Netflix asked, are you still watching and got your eight hours? 

Well, it might not be your sleep — it could be something that’s slipped your wellness routine entirely: maybe, you’re low on electrolytes.

Let’s find out what happens when your body is low on electrolytes, the science behind it, and how to bounce back with hydration strategies that actually work.

First up — what are electrolytes?

Electrolytes are minerals like sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and chloride that dissolve in your body fluids and carry an electric charge. This charge helps regulate some of your body’s most important functions — think nerve signalling, muscle contractions, pH balance, and fluid movement in and out of cells.

Even a mild electrolyte imbalance can mess with how your body performs — physically, mentally, and energetically.

So, what happens when you're low on electrolytes?

The short answer? Your body starts to lose momentum — leading to fatigue, sluggishness, and dips in daily performance.

Longer answer? Your body starts sending out symptoms that range from annoying to downright dangerous. Here’s a quick look at what you might feel. Possible symptoms of electrolyte imbalance can include:

• Muscle cramps or spasms
• Fatigue or weakness
• Brain fog, headaches or dizziness
• Nausea or vomiting
• Rapid or irregular heartbeat
• Tingling or numbness in fingers, toes, or limbs
• Mood changes, irritability or anxiety

These symptoms show up because your cells can’t communicate or function properly without a balanced electrolyte environment. Nerves misfire. Muscles can contract uncontrollably. Fluid balance goes haywire.

In severe cases, electrolyte deficiencies can lead to life-threatening complications such as seizures, coma, or cardiac arrest — particularly when imbalances like hyponatremia (low sodium), hyperkalemia (high potassium), hypokalemia (low potassium), hypocalcemia (low calcium), or hypomagnesemia (low magnesium) are involved.

Heads up: If you're experiencing severe symptoms — such as confusion, chest pain, weakness, or a racing heartbeat — consult your medical practitioner as soon as possible.

What causes low electrolytes?

You don’t have to run a marathon to wind up low on electrolytes. Everyday causes might include:

• Sweating heavily during exercise or sauna sessions
• Losing fluids due to gastro, vomiting, or diarrhoea
• Drinking too much plain water without replacing minerals
• Taking medications like diuretics or laxatives
• Following a low-carb, fasting, or restrictive diet
• Chronic illnesses like kidney, liver or heart conditions

Even your morning long black can sneakily dehydrate you, especially if you’re not eating or drinking to compensate.

It all comes down to loss, dilution, or dysfunction. When you sweat heavily, experience vomiting or diarrhoea, or take diuretics or laxatives, you’re not just losing fluid — you’re flushing out key electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and magnesium. 

If you then rehydrate with large amounts of plain water only, without replacing those minerals, your blood can become diluted. That’s how conditions like hyponatremia (low sodium) can set in — and yes, overhydration can be just as risky as dehydration.

Other contributors? Low-carb or fasting diets reduce insulin levels, which signals your kidneys to excrete more sodium and water — quickly tipping your mineral balance out of range. And if you’re dealing with chronic conditions like kidney, liver, or heart disease, your body may struggle to regulate electrolytes altogether. 

How to tell if you're low on electrolytes

Unless you’re getting a blood test to know for sure, it’s all about listening to your body. Look for these low-key (and not-so-low-key) signs:

• Cramps or muscle twitches after workouts
• Dizziness when standing up quickly
• Chronic headaches or brain fog
• Fatigue that doesn’t improve with rest
• Constant thirst or unusual cravings (salty snacks with a side of more salt, anyone?)

If you’ve had a bout of gastro, done a sweaty workout, or you're eating low-carb, these symptoms might be your body pounding the low-electrolyte alarm.

And again, if things feel off in a big way — like sudden confusion, tightness in your chest, overwhelming fatigue, or a heart that won’t slow down — skip the guesswork and get medical help immediately.

What to do if you're low on electrolytes

Good news — if your symptoms are mild, you can usually bounce back with a few smart strategies:

1. Rehydrate smarter

Skip the plain water and reach for something that contains sodium, potassium, and magnesium — like Sodii. Our rehydration salts are purposefully salty and sugar-light (less than 0.5g per serve), designed for fast absorption and real recovery.

2. Eat electrolyte-rich foods

Here’s what to add to your plate:

• Sodium: pickles, broth, salted nuts
• Potassium: bananas, avocado, spinach, sweet potato
• Magnesium: dark chocolate, pumpkin seeds, legumes
• Calcium: yoghurt, almonds, leafy greens

Heads-up: While your diet can do a lot of the heavy lifting, serious electrolyte issues — particularly those involving calcium — aren’t something to self-manage. Why? Abnormal calcium levels can signal deeper problems like kidney dysfunction, hormonal imbalances, or vitamin D-related conditions. If something feels seriously different, it’s best to speak with a healthcare professional.

3. Ditch the diuretics

Ease up on coffee, alcohol, and diuretic meds (if you can), especially when you’re feeling off. They flush electrolytes faster than your body can catch up.

4. Take it easy

If you’re feeling depleted, go for gentle movement like walking or yoga. Heavy training sessions might need to wait until your levels are back in balance.

TL;DR: What happens when you're low on electrolytes?

• You feel off — tired, twitchy, dizzy or foggy
• Your body struggles to regulate fluid and nerve function
• Severe cases can lead to hyponatremia, heart rhythm issues or worse
• You can help to ease symptoms with the right electrolytes, food, the advice of your healthcare provider and rest

Stay balanced, stay salty

Electrolyte imbalance might sound like something that only happens to ultra-athletes — but it’s actually super common. Whether you’re sweating, fasting, recovering from illness or just living life, your body needs electrolytes to thrive.

Sodii’s science-backed electrolyte blends are made for the everyday moments — when your body needs a top-up without the sugar bomb. Fast-absorbing, easy to drink, and deliciously salty.

Support your electrolyte balance the smart way. Sip Sodii.