Electrolytes – why you need them during IVF and how they stop wrinkles too!

Original image here

I’ve been conducting a little experiment. A birdie recently told me that electrolytes help diminish wrinkles. Ha! That got your attention, didn’t it? Another birdie told me that electrolytes help treat overstimulation that can be caused by fertility drugs during IVF. Now I know that these two things seem like a random connection, however it has intrigued me. So in the interests of research for IVF – nothing to do with wrinkles! I took to a bottle of electrolyte powder to see for myself. Although I’m not on IVF I can’t judge that effectiveness- however the wrinkles, I think the Birdie was right!

But before you head to your local for a bottle of poweraid – don’t. Drinks like power-aid have recently been be re-labled ‘sports drinks’ because basically they are sugar and water with some salt thrown in for good measure. They are not the kind of drinks I’m talking about. I’m talking about a quality electrolyte powder mixed with water and taken each morning to give you a boost for the day. I am loving it!

Let me explain why electrolytes work well – it is because they decrease acidity in the body. If you are aware of the body cleanses I’ve done on the blog, you would be no stranger to the notion of alkaline cleansing. Ridding the body of acidity is ridding the body of toxins. The more alkaline we are – the cleaner we are. The more acidic our bodies run, the more toxic they are. If you are wondering why sports people are inclined to opt for these special little drinks, it is because excess acidity is stored in the ligaments and connective tissues – which isn’t good news for recovery. So that’s the premise of electrolytes explained – so now let’s talk about electrolytes in the role of overstimulation.

A good IVF specialist will monitor your hormone levels very closely to see how they are responding to specific drugs prescribed during IVF. As each woman is different, differnt women respond differently to various medicines – in some instances overstimulation occurs. Technically every women doing IVF is ‘overstimulated’ in the quest to develop a substantial amount of suitable follicles. Overstimulation from fertility drugs is a nasty thing to have happen. The body begins to accumulate fluid and in a nut shell, your organs can drown. This is because when the body is overstimulated, the gateways that allow water into the cells close up – preventing water from coming in & out as usual, which means that whilst your organs are drowning and not taking in fluids, on a cellular level, you are severely dehydrated. It is very dangerous, painful and scary – and if left untreated can be deadly. Electrolytes are useful to help maintain healthy cellular function in this case because they can cross through the cell membranes and re-open these little channels to allow fluids back in. It can be an essential part of assisted treatment for patients on IVF and something I will from now on encourage all my patients to do in the clinic.

So, I’ll keep you posted on the wrinkles. You see – so long as I’m hydrated, they should continue to improve! Nice.

 

9 Comments

  • May 24, 2011 By Melissa armstrong 10:05 am

    Good one Nat ; )

  • August 21, 2011 By Jacqui 1:58 pm

    loving your blog! what elecrolytes do you take?

  • November 28, 2011 By Katie 11:37 pm

    Yes, would love to know the powder you take?

    • November 29, 2011 By NatKringoudis 7:45 am

      Sorry Katie! We like Endura by Metagenics.

  • September 13, 2012 By Katie J 11:15 am

    Hi Nat, recently stumbled onto this post again and wondered your thoughts on this compared to coconut water? Would you suggest both, or does coconut water come out on top now? Thanks 🙂

    • September 13, 2012 By admin 5:13 pm

      Good question! I love coconut water and think it is a great option. Be mindful, you need the real deal when it comes to coconut water – chop the top of a coconut!!

  • November 4, 2012 By Vee 5:45 pm

    Totally belated question, but I was taking endura as per my practitioners advice then discovered it has fructose in it., I’m sugar free, so wondering if there is an alternative, or if metagenics could ever make a fructose free one?! Might email them too!

    • November 4, 2012 By admin 10:49 pm

      Good one Vee. I’ll get back to you on that. I’m pretty sure I stocked another brand a while back that didn’t have sugar. I’ll find out. BUT for the purpose of IVF, I’d just take the one you have with the sugar. It’s way to important not to.

      • November 5, 2012 By Vee 9:43 pm

        Thanks!. I’m not on ivf but am doing a fertility program at the moment and have done a round of iui. I tried contacting metagenics about it but they wouldn’t give me the full fructose breakdown. And told me to contact the practitioner I got it from. Which I will. But might cut down amount in the meantime. 🙂

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