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13.1: Electrolytes

Last updated

Mar 5, 2022
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- 13: Electrolyte Micronutrients
- 13.2: Sodium

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Electrolytes are compounds that separate into ions in water. Electrolytes can be separated into 2 classes:

Cations: ions that have a positive charge
Anions: ions that have a negative charge

The following table summarizes the major intracellular and extracellular electrolytes by giving their milliequivalents (mEq)/L. Milliequivalents are a measure of charge. Thus, a higher value means that the cation or anion is accounting for more charge.

Table $\PageIndex{1}$ : Major intracellular and extracellular electrolytes (mEq/L)1,2
Intracellular		Extracellular
Cations	Anions	Cations	Anions
Potassium ( $\ce{K+}$ ) 150	Phosphate ( $\ce{PO^4-}$ ) 104	Sodium ( $\ce{Na+}$ ) 142	Chloride ( $\ce{Cl-}$ ) 103
Magnesium ( $\ce{Mg^2+}$ ) 40	Proteins 57		Bicarbonate ( $\ce{HCO^3-}$ ) 27
	Sulfate ( $\ce{SO4^2-}$ ) 20		Proteins 16

The following figure graphically shows the major intracellular and extracellular cations (green) and anions (red).

Figure $\PageIndex{1}$ : Major intracellular and extracellular cations (green) and anions (red)2

Electrolytes and proteins are important in fluid balance. Your body is 60% water by weight. Two-thirds of this water is intracellular, or within cells. One-third of the water is extracellular, or outside of cells. One-fourth of the extracellular fluid is plasma, while the other 3/4 is interstitial (between cells) fluid. Thus, when considering total body water, around 66% is intracellular fluid, 25% is interstitial fluid, and 8% is plasma3 ,4.

Fluid distribution between the different compartments are shown below.

Figure $\PageIndex{2}$ : Distribution of fluid in the body3 ,4.

Query $\PageIndex{1}$

References

Byrd-Bredbenner C, Moe G, Beshgetoor D, Berning J. (2009) Wardlaw's perspectives in nutrition. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Whitney E, Rolfes SR. (2011) Understanding nutrition. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
Gropper SS, Smith JL, Groff JL. (2008) Advanced nutrition and human metabolism. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing.
Adapted from http://www.netterimages.com/image/21248.htm

References

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