Podcast episode 23 is up today on the LMNT ingredients, and asking the question,

What do electrolytes have to do with the gut?

Here’s the episode with the one and only Robb Wolf on LMNT ingredients.

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Robb Wolf is a former research biochemist and 2X New York Times/Wall Street Journal Best-selling author of The Paleo Solution and Wired To Eat.

He and co-author Diana Rodgers recently released their book, Sacred Cow, which explains why well-raised meat is good for us and good for the planet.

Robb has transformed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people around the world via his top-ranked Itunes podcast, books and seminars.

He’s known for his direct approach and ability to distill and synthesize information to make the complicated stuff easier to understand.

Robb is also the co-founder of Drink LMNT.

I drink LMNT electrolytes everyday to support my intermittent fasting lifestyle, workouts, and optimal digestion. My favorite flavor can be found below!

LMNT Ingredients (What do Electrolytes Have to Do with the Gut?)

Click HERE to save this post on LMNT ingredients + electrolytes for later.

Resources Mentioned

1. Wired to Eat
2. LMNT
3. Robb on Instagram
4. Robb’s personal website
5. Sacred Cow
6. The Paleo Solution

Don’t Miss These Thoughts

1. Robb’s story
2. His diet then and today
3. The gut from a biochemical standpoint
4. What exactly are electrolytes and why are they necessary for the gut?
5. Symptoms of an electrolyte imbalance
6. How and why does an electrolyte imbalance lead to digestive issues?
7. “An electrolyte imbalance can cause gut problems and gut problems can cause an electrolyte imbalance.”
8. What does leaky gut have to do with all of this?
9. How Robb founded LMNT
10. What is the natriuresis of fasting?
11. Robb’s personal favorite LMNT flavor (get it HERE)
12. Something about electrolytes most people get wrong
13. Robb’s 3 convictions around gut health and gut healing

More from A Gutsy Girl

1. Welcome to A Gutsy Girl Podcast
2. Hang out on Instagram
3. BFF’s on YouTube
4. Free resource: The Master Gutsy Spreadsheet
5. Rated-G Email Club

LMNT

Here is more information on the LMNT product:

LMNT is a tasty electrolyte drink mix with everything you need and nothing you don’t. That means lots of salt — with no sugar. 

LMNT is formulated to help anyone with their electrolyte needs and is perfectly suited to folks following a keto, low-carb, or paleo diet. 

With none of the junk. No sugar, coloring, artificial ingredients, gluten, or fillers.

Current available electrolyte products include:

1. Grapefruit Salt
2. Watermelon Salt
3. Citrus Salt
4. Orange Salt
5. Raspberry Salt
6. Raw Unflavored
7. Mango Chili
8. Lemon Habanero
9. Chocolate Caramel
10. Chocolate Salt – incredible natural chocolate flavor
11. Mint Chocolate (IMO best electrolyte drink mix!)

You can buy all of these stick packs online using any of the links in this post. BONUS: you’ll get a FREE sampler pack with your purchase so you can try a variety of all flavors to find you next favorite.

Strong Electrolytes

Here are 4 main and common strong electrolytes:

• HCl (hydrochloric acid)
• H₂SO₄ (sulfuric acid)
• NaOH (sodium hydroxide)
• KOH (potassium hydroxide)

And according to one source, here is the digestive benefit:

Electrolytes keep the digestive system chugging along. Your intestines are lined with smooth muscle tissue that’s controlled by the autonomic nervous system, the part you can’t consciously control. Their rhythmic contractions are important for nutrient absorption and waste elimination. Potassium allows the muscles in the intestines to contract. However, low potassium levels can inhibit healthy digestion. That’s why it’s so important to load up on potassium with food and electrolyte supplements!

But it’s more than just that from a digestive standpoint. Keep reading to learn more about why electrolytes are critical for the Gutsy community.

Sources: HERE, and HERE

How to Get Electrolytes

Some of the main causes of electrolyte imbalance include dehydration, sweating, diarrhea, certain medications, and vomiting.

Because these are all very common in the Gutsy community, you can understand the chicken/egg scenario Robb discusses in the episode.

So how can you get more electrolytes?

For me and in/because of my research, supplementing is quickest and best for electrolytes.

This is why, the electrolytes powder packets from LMNT are powerful.

Electrolytes Powder Packets

I have the best electrolytes powder packets to share.

However, today my favorite flavor releases and I can’t even stand how excited I am about it.

The flavor? Mint Chocolate. I’m a sucker for Mint Chocolate always, and this one is fantastic!

It contains:

• 1,000 mg sodium
• 200 mg potassium
• 60 mg magnesium

I got a sneak preview of the flavor and have been drinking it for the past couple weeks. So let me share a couple things.

How to drink a packet of LMNT

The first time I tried these most popular electrolyte drinks, LMNT, I made a huge mistake.

I poured an entire packet (stick) into about 8-10 ounces of water. Literally gagged and was like, “I cannot talk about this product because it tastes like colonoscopy prep.” Ladies – you know I’m always real and honest with you. That’s what I thought.

Well then I actually read the usage instructions and had the conversation with Robb. Turns out that if you drink an entire stick with just 8 – 10 ounces, it’s going to be salty AF.

So don’t do as I did.

Instead, for best results and the most incredible taste, pour the stick into 30 – 32 ounces and stir. I promise it tastes so good. Like, so good I now need to make sure I’m only drinking 1 – 2 sticks per day (or as needed with workouts + overall activity level!)

I personally love the Mint Chocolate flavor over water and ice (was thinking of blending it next?!?!).

Anyways, that’s all you do to reap the benefits.

P.S. Straight from the company:

• Mint Chocolate is best enjoyed hot — your minty hot chocolate, your no sugar peppermint mocha, or your cozy beverage of choice.
• Mint Chocolate is a limited-time flavor – when it’s sold out, it’s gone!
• They offer a no-questions-asked refund policy (you don’t even have to send it back!)

Signs of an Electrolyte Imbalance

Click HERE to save these signs of an electrolyte imbalance for later.

I personally am a big believer in drinking electrolytes everyday, but there are some signs that are red flags for electrolyte imbalances in the body.

This can mean that you either have higher or lower electrolyte levels than the body needs.

These red flags include:

• headaches
• brain fog
• confusion
• nausea
• chronic fatigue
• muscle spasms
• irregular heartbeat

Since these are somewhat vague and can be indicators of other disease, it is always important to get your nutrient levels checked routinely by your healthcare provider.

This is a great option for making sure you are maintaining proper electrolyte balance in the body. (source)

Electrolytes Supplement Keto

One final thing I have to mention: the Keto community loves this product so they buy LMNT keto electrolyte powder packets for good reason!

And if you’re part of the Keto community, surely you have felt the “keto flu.”

The body excretes electrolytes at an increased rate due while in a low-carb, ketogenic, or fasted state. This can cause low-carb fatigue or what some call “keto fog.”

Similar to the low-carb flu, electrolytes can make the difference between feeling great and feeling like garbage on a fast.

LMNT is also PERFECT for the keto diet, as it contains zero sugar or carbohydrates. This follows the low-carb diet of keto, while still supporting the entire body as a whole.

This product does use Stevia and I’ve always been skeptical of how my body (aka acne) reacts with Stevia. I’m keeping my eye on it with the handy, dandy, super lovely healing journal I created.

You can, too!

LMNT Ingredients

One of my all time favorite parts of this product is the LMNT ingredients list. It is truly the cleanest electrolyte mix I have found so far, which means it is much better for the gut.

There are only six ingredients in this electrolyte mix, three of them being the actual electrolytes themselves.

Sodium Chloride

The first ingredients is salt, otherwise known as sodium chloride. This electrolyte is found in the highest amount of the mix and for good reason.

The latest nutritional science studies shows that a salt intake between 4-6 grams is optimal for preventing health complications such as stroke and cardiovascular disease.

This means that high amounts of salt are NOT a bad thing. As with everything, moderation is key.

Citric Acid

Citric acid is an additive that is found in many common foods. It helps to keep the ingredients more fresh for longer and bump up the flavor.

This ingredient, while not entirely naturally occurring in this case, actually has some health benefits.

These include:

• increasing energy levels
• increases nutrient absorption
• optimizes kidney health

This additive is considered extremely safe and can actually help with full body health.

Magnesium malate

This compound is a form of magnesium that is created by combining magnesium with malic acid.

It is known to be one of the most bioavailable magnesium sources, meaning that the body can easily absorb it.

Magnesium is an incredibly important electrolyte that helps support sleep, healthy bowel movements, energy synthesis, and exercise performance.

It has also been shown to reduce the risk of medical conditions such as type 2 diabetes by lowering blood sugar.

Potassium chloride

This is a compound made by combining potassium with chlorine.

Its use in the electrolyte blend is in the potassium content, which makes it a great electrolyte.

Potassium helps support full-body health by optimizing kidney function, lowering blood pressure, and playing a role in muscle contraction.

Natural flavors

This ingredient is simply a collection of various flavors from natural ingredients.

Stevia Leaf Extract

Stevia is a type of natural sugar substitute made from the stevia plant. It contains zero calories or carbohydrates, which means that it does not promote the overgrowth of pathogens in our gut such as yeasts, bacteria, and parasites.

This makes stevia a great option for anyone trying out the ketogenic lifestyle or simply attempting to heal their guts.

Sources: HERE, HERE, and HERE

LMNT Ratio

If you are anything like me, you may be wondering how LMNT picked the seemingly random ratio of electrolytes.

All of their ratios are derived from clinical data and are meant to optimize cellular functioning.

They based their ratios on common electrolytes deficiencies and their prevalence. This helped them decide on the key ingredients and electrolytes to use in their products. (source)

Wrap Up

Time to wrap this up. As always, a huge goal for this show is to connect with even more people. Feel free to send an email to our team at podcast@agutsygirl.com. We want to hear questions, comments, show ideas, etc.

Did you enjoy this episode? Please drop a comment below or leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

If you liked this post on LMNT ingredients, you might also enjoy:

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3. Three Day Detox Plan {a gut reset without feeling miserable}

Xox,
SKH