What Do Electrolytes Actually Do?

WASHINGTON, April 27, 2017 — Sports drink commercials love talking about them, but what are electrolytes, why do we need them, and what happens if we don’t have enough? Electrolytes are salts that, once in our bodies, help our cells move water around. They also enable the nerve impulses that keep our hearts beating, our lungs breathing and our brains learning. But we can also lose them — for example, by sweating. Given all the ins and outs of electrolytes, should you reach for that bright orange sports drink after running around the block? Find out in the latest Reactions video here: https://youtu.be/xhLHtuZ3VOI.

Reactions is a video series produced by the American Chemical Society and PBS Digital Studios. Subscribe to our weekly series at http://bit.ly/ACSReactions and follow us on Twitter @ACSReactions.

The American Chemical Society is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. With nearly 157,000 members, ACS is the world’s largest scientific society and a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. ACS does not conduct research, but publishes and publicizes peer-reviewed scientific studies. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.