What are electrolytes and what do they do for you???

Electrolyte is a medical/scientific term for salt.

Electrolytes are important because they are what your cells (especially nerve, heart, muscle) use to maintain voltages across their cell membranes and to carry electrical impulses (nerve impulses, muscle contractions) across themselves and to other cells. Your kidneys work to keep the electrolyte concentrations in your blood constant despite changes in your body. For example, when you exercise heavily, you lose electrolytes in your sweat, particularly sodium and potassium. These electrolytes must be replaced to keep the electrolyte concentrations of your body fluids constant. So, many sports drinks have sodium chloride or potassium chloride added to them. They also have sugar and flavorings to provide your body with extra energy and to make the drink taste better.
Another example where electrolyte drinks are important is when infants/children have chronic vomiting or diarrhea, perhaps due to intestinal flu viruses. When children vomit or have diarrhea, they lose electrolytes. Again, these electrolytes and the fluids must be replaced to prevent dehydration and seizures. Therefore, drinks such as Pedialyte have sodium and potassium in them like the sports drinks do. However, pediatricians do not recommend giving sports drinks to a sick child! Sports drinks have much higher sugar concentrations than Pedialyte and the high sugar is not a proper treatment.

Hope this helps. :-)

By definitions, they are substances that allow the flow of electricity. That electricity includes nerve impulses, so a low level of electrolytes can affect how your muscles work, including severe cramping.

electrolytes are things found in gatoraide and other sports drinks that keep you from getting or I should say aid in the stopping of dehydration.. Your body naturally has electrolytes that you sweat out and that is why they need to be replensihed and why so many people doing sports drinl sports drinls to replenish electrolytes lost during games and and practices..Here is a breakdown of electrolytes and there functions and purpose www.medicinenet.com/electrolytes/article...

Electrolytes are substances that become ions in solution and acquire the capacity to conduct electricity. The balance of the electrolytes in our bodies is essential for normal function of our cells and our organs. the ions are sodium, potassium, chloride, and bicarbonate. ...that's why a lot of athletes drink gatorade...it's full of electrolytes.. Chloride also plays a role in helping the body maintain a normal balance of fluids. potassium is essential for normal cell function. Among the many functions of potassium in the body are regulation of the heartbeat and function of the muscles. Sodium regulates the total amount of water in the body and the transmission of sodium into and out of individual cells also plays a role in critical body functions