mineral salts are minerals that help the body maintain balance. They are important to the body in many ways, such as being a component of bones and teeth, helping control the functioning of muscles, the heart, and the brain, and helping to maintain the balance of water and cells in the body.
Each day, the body may need only a small amount of minerals. However, even a small amount is still very necessary for the body. Because if the body lacks minerals one day, it may affect the balance and various systems. The types of important minerals can be divid into 2 groups as follows:
- Primary minerals. It is a group of minerals that the body needs more than 100 milligrams per day, including calcium, phosphorus, sodium, and chlorine, UFABET, etc.
- Secondary minerals. It is a group of minerals that the body needs less than 100 milligrams per day, but are still important for the body to function, including iron, zinc, iodine, copper, and selenium, etc.
Normally, the body gets enough minerals from eating food in everyday life. But when we have diarrhea, vomit, or exercise, our body will lose a lot of water and minerals. Therefore, we must replace them with the right type of minerals in order to compensate directly for the symptoms. There are 2 main types of minerals sold in the market:
- Mineral salts for people who lose water from exercise (Oral Rehydration Therapy or ORT) that are mainly compose of glucose and a small amount of minerals, depending on the product. Since this type of mineral salts has sugar as an ingredient, the body absorbs it quickly, quenches thirst and feels refreshed after drinking. Suitable for people who sweat and exercise heavily. This type of mineral salt is usually in the form of a drink.
- Oral Rehydration Salt (ORS) – This type of rehydration salt contains sodium and potassium as the main minerals. It is use to drink to compensate for the loss of water and minerals from vomiting, diarrhea, loose stools and watery stools. This type of rehydration salt usually comes in the form of a powdered drink.
Mineral knowledge that many people still misunderstand
- Currently, there is no ready-to-drink oral rehydration solution available at convenience stores.
- Mineral water is clean drinking water that has been add in small amounts to certain minerals. It is not an electrolyte solution for diarrhea.
- If necessary and ORS is not available, an ORS solution may be prepare by adding 6 teaspoons of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to 1 liter (1,000 cc) of clean drinking water. However, the amount of ORS obtained will not be the same as that obtained with the ORS solution.
- Carbonat water with add salt is more similar to electrolyte water for those. Who sweat more during exercise than ORS, so it is not recommend for those who have diarrhea.
Many people may wonder if they can take electrolyte supplements instead of drinking water. If they have diarrhea or vomiting, because they are also electrolytes. However, in reality, they cannot be substitut because electrolyte supplements contain a high amount of sugar. And less sodium than electrolytes for diarrhea. In addition to not receiving proper compensation, it also makes the body want to excrete more than before.