I am basically on a low calorie diet and I wondered if palpitations, hypotension and tachycardia can be because of that. I am discussing with my GP and will be doing some blood tests.
From what I've read you'd normally get sufficient electrolytes in your diet. Almost all foods have multiple electrolytes. About the only way to check if you're deficient or over the limit in any of them would be by a blood test - and even then I don't know if it only gives a point value or if it can give you an overall general indication of over or under in the medium term.
During the day you'll lose electrolytes by perspiration and in urine and this usually keeps the balance right. (You'll lose a lot if you have a bout of diarrhoea, too.) I take some with me if I'm traveling - on a just in case basis, particularly to a hot destination where i'll be out and about a lot (sweating more than usual) or one where I'm likely to get traveller's diarrhoea.
The thing is, you want to ingest enough but not too many or you risk toxicity. The article below lists the main electrolytes and how levels are maintained. (It lists the main electrolytes as: potassium, magnesium, calcium, sodium, phosphate, chloride and bicarbonates.) My general sense is that people are usually warned they may be over the limit in sodium and can be short on calcium in their diet.
My husband was given a small jar of an electrolyte powder by a friend and has decided to take it on a daily basis. He is 76 years old, sedentary, a bit overweight and has high blood pressure. Might taking electrolytes cause him problems?
www.uclahealth.org