Why Does LADDER Hydration Include 4 Different Electrolytes?

By Andrew Heffernan

If you want to perform your best, you need to give some thought to hydration. Consider: A 5% loss in fluids to sweat during athletic activity can yield a 30% reduction in work capacity.

During exercise your body loses important electrolytes, which are central to a number of processes that directly impact your performance. That's why LADDER Hydration includes a specialized blend of sodium, magnesium, calcium, and potassium.

Why these four electrolytes? We're glad you asked.

Reduce cramping and boost endurance during workouts with LADDER Hydration.

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Why Do You Need Electrolytes?

"Electrolytes are essential nutrients involved in a variety of processes in the body," explains Paul Falcone, senior scientist for LADDER Nutrition. "Of particular importance for athletes, they help support normal nerve transmission and muscle function. When you sweat, you lose all four of these electrolytes."

That's where the Refuel Ratio of LADDER Hydration comes in. "It's the precise combination of these electrolytes, along with carbohydrates, that help optimize absorption of nutrients and water into the body," says Falcone.*

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Why You Need a Hydration Formula with These 4 Electrolytes

Here's a look at the unique roles of the four electrolytes in LADDER Hydration.

1. Sodium

You've seen the labels: "low sodium," "no salt," "heart-healthy." Why would a drink designed to support your health include sodium?

Answer: Sodium is essential for many primary physical functions, including blood pressure, hydration levels, and efficient muscle contraction. When sodium drops too low, your muscles can cramp, you could feel dizzy, and you may have trouble thinking straight. Ever heard stories of people stumbling across the 10K finish line, looking like they drank a fifth of vodka out on the trail? That's what low sodium looks like.

Conversely, drinking too much plain water during exercise — which many athletes do to avoid drops in performance — may result in exhaustion, and even serious health risks. Exercise-associated hyponatremia (extremely low sodium during long, hard exercise, almost always brought on by excessive water intake) has, on occasion, led to cardiac arrest and death.

So sodium isn't a mineral you want to skimp on — especially if you're active — since sweat takes a lot of sodium along with it when it leaves your body.

High sodium can be a concern, primarily for people who are sedentary and have (or are at risk of developing) high blood pressure and other cardiovascular or kidney conditions. If that's the case with you, talk to your physician before upping your sodium.

But don't fear the stuff — especially if you like to exercise.

2. Calcium

Your school nurse was right: Calcium helps build strong bones. It also supports proper muscular contraction and nerve conduction.

When you are calcium deficient for long periods of time, your bones can get more brittle and susceptible to injury. Your nails break or splinter more easily. You may even experience memory loss and confusion, or you could feel a tingling in your fingers or toes. This is particularly true with high-intensity exercise, as working out at that level can lead to accelerated loss of calcium, particularly in women.

3. Magnesium

Magnesium may be the mineral most closely associated with athletic performance. Energy metabolism, muscle contraction, and muscle growth are all affected by magnesium. One 2017 review study found that magnesium supplementation may help improve physical performance in many different populations, including older women.

Magnesium is also crucial for the health of your bones and heart.

4. Potassium

Finally, potassium is another vital component of a healthy diet. It’s present in all body tissues and is the most abundant positive ion inside of cells, while sodium is the most abundant positive ion outside of cells. The two must be properly balanced to help maintain cellular fluid volume and ensure proper nerve transmission, muscle contraction, and kidney function.

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The Benefits of LADDER Hydration

LADDER Hydration is formulated to combine a beneficial ratio of the four essential electrolytes, along with a small dose of carbs, to help you get the most out of your workouts and continue performing your best.

"Often, sodium is the big focus when it comes to sweat loss," says Falcone. "While it's true that sweat is typically higher in sodium, it's also true that sodium (found in table salt) is delicious! Therefore, most people will have diets that are higher in sodium but lower in potassium, calcium, and magnesium, so replacing these other key electrolytes is very important."

LADDER Hydration is optimized for better absorption and rapid rehydration by mimicking the nutrient and electrolyte composition in your gut.

Beyond having the Refuel Ratio, LADDER Hydration is NSF Certified For Sport (like all LADDER supplements), so you can be confident it doesn't contain any of 280 substances banned by major athletic organizations. In addition, the contents of the supplement actually match what is printed on the label, and there are no unsafe levels of contaminants in the tested products. Plus, you can use LADDER Hydration with LADDER Pre-Workout

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Why Include Carbs in a Hydration Drink?

Among the keto and Paleo crowds, carbohydrates have gotten a bad rap. Some particularly hardcore types believe that even small amounts of carbs are stored as fat.

It's unwarranted: Carbs are the primary fuel your body needs during high-intensity exercise. Avoiding carbs or sharply curbing them around your workouts may lead to reduced performance at the highest effort levels. It could also compromise your fitness gains. Conversely, having some carbs before and after hard exercise helps support athletic performance and enhance absorption of the electrolytes lost during exercise.

Along with electrolytes, carbs serve as a solute in your beverage, which helps your body absorb fluids more effectively. Delivering endurance for your day and not just your workout, LADDER Hydration includes 15 grams of easily absorbed dextrose per serving to help keep you fueled while improving hydration.*

*These statements have not been evaluated by Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.