You can drink all the water you want – but if you’re low on electrolytes, you’re still dehydrated. Not “thirsty dehydrated.” Cellularly dehydrated.

That’s the kind of dehydration that tanks your energy, focus, and performance – even when you think you’re doing everything right.
Let’s fix that.

What Electrolytes Really Do

Electrolytes – sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium – aren’t just minerals. They’re the electrical wiring of your biology.
They power the charge across your cell membranes, control muscle contraction, keep your heart rhythm steady, and help your mitochondria make energy.

In other words: without electrolytes, your cells can’t fire properly. You’re a biohacker running on airplane mode.

The Mitochondrial Connection

Mitochondria – the tiny power plants inside your cells – depend on voltage gradients to generate ATP (cellular energy).
Electrolytes maintain that gradient. When levels drop, your mitochondrial function and energy output drop with them.

A 2023 review in Free Radical Biology and Medicine found that mineral cofactors are essential for mitochondrial function and redox balance, noting that electrolyte deficiencies directly impair energy production and oxidative resilience?PMID: 35131590?.

Another study published in Frontiers in Physiology (2024) confirmed that imbalances in sodium, potassium, and magnesium alter mitochondrial membrane potential and lead to increased oxidative stress?PMID: 38261509?.

The takeaway?
When you skimp on electrolytes, your mitochondria literally lose their charge.

Why Hydration Without Electrolytes Doesn’t Work

Water follows electrolytes – not the other way around. Without minerals to guide it, water passes through your body instead of entering your cells.
That’s why you can chug a liter of water and still feel tired or dizzy 30 minutes later.

A study in The Journal of Applied Physiology found that plasma sodium concentration is the single best predictor of hydration status after exercise – not water volume?PMID: 28402954?.

Translation: You need minerals for hydration that matters.

How Keto, Fasting, and Saunas Deplete Electrolytes

If you’re fasting, eating low-carb, sweating in the sauna, or using Bulletproof Coffee to extend your intermittent fast, you’re losing electrolytes faster than average.

Low insulin levels make your kidneys excrete sodium and water – taking magnesium and potassium with them.
That’s one reason why “keto flu” or “fasting fatigue” hits so hard: your electrolyte stores drop, your voltage drops, and your brain feels like it’s running through mud.

A 2022 clinical review in Nutrients showed that electrolyte depletion during low-carb or fasting states impairs neuromuscular efficiency and increases perceived fatigue?PMID: 35956347?.

Signs You’re Low on Electrolytes

You don’t need a lab test to know when your electrolytes are low. Your body tells you:

• Brain fog or mid-day energy crashes
• Salt cravings or dizziness
• Muscle cramps or twitching
• Headaches that improve after salt
• Fatigue even after sleeping well
• Dry mouth or thirst that won’t quit

If that sounds familiar, your problem isn’t hydration – it’s charge.

Why “Just Salt” Isn’t Enough

Regular table salt gives you sodium (and chloride), but no magnesium or potassium.
Those other electrolytes keep sodium balanced and prevent fluid retention or cramping.

The goal isn’t “more salt.” It’s the right ratios:

• Sodium: 1000–2000 mg
• Potassium: 200–400 mg
• Magnesium: 60–100 mg

That’s what your mitochondria need for voltage stability, nerve signaling, and hydration efficiency.

What I Personally Use

I use LMNTa clean, science-backed electrolyte mix with zero sugar, no artificial junk, and optimal mineral ratios.
I use it during fasting, travel, and sauna sessions to keep my voltage high and prevent energy crashes.

Try LMNT here  – use my affiliate link to get a free sample pack with any purchase.

(Affiliate disclosure: I may receive a commission if you use this link, at no additional cost to you.)

Watch: “The Real Reason You Feel Dehydrated”

In this episode on my YouTube channel, I break down how electrolytes regulate mitochondrial voltage, what happens when you’re chronically low, and why smart hydration is one of the easiest performance upgrades you can make.

Watch now: You Need More Electrolytes On a Keto Diet

The Bottom Line

You don’t need more water. You need better water—water charged with the minerals that make life electric.

Optimize your electrolytes. Power up your mitochondria.
And watch your energy, focus, and recovery shift from “meh” to upgraded.