What is an Electrolyte?

About Electrolyte:

• Electrolytes are minerals that give off an electrical charge when they dissolve in fluids like blood and urine. 
• The most familiar electrolytes are acids, bases, and salts which ionize when dissolved in such solvents as water or alcohol. 
• Many salts, such as sodium chloride, behave as electrolytes when melted in the absence of any solvent; and some, such as silver iodide, are electrolytes even in the solid state.
• Your body makes electrolytes. You also get these minerals from foods, drinks, and supplements. 
• Electrolytes in blood, tissue, urine and other body fluids play a critical role in balancing body fluids, regulating your heart rhythm, and supporting nerve and muscle function. 
• An electrolyte imbalance occurs when you have too much or not enough of certain minerals in your body. This imbalance may be a sign of a problem like kidney disease.

An electrolyte panel is a blood test that measures electrolyte levels.