Natural Sea Salt

Sodium is an essential mineral that our body requires for optimal functioning. As an electrolyte, it carries an electric charge when dissolved in water, playing a crucial role in regulating fluid balance, maintaining blood and cell volume, supporting nerve and muscle function, and facilitating the transport of key nutrients like amino acids, glucose and essential micronutrients into cells. Unlike some nutrients, the body does not produce sodium naturally, making it necessary to obtain through diet.

Because of sodium’s critical role in health, having excessive or insufficient levels can be detrimental to our health. Most dietary sodium comes from processed foods, especially added salt. Unprocessed foods such as fruits, vegetables, meats and dairy contain much smaller amounts of sodium. Consequently, sodium intake can vary significantly depending on one’s diet. For instance, those following a Paleo or whole foods diet typically consume less sodium than individuals with diets high in processed foods. Low-carb and ketogenic diets reduce the body’s insulin production, causing the kidneys to excrete sodium at an increased rate, thereby increasing daily sodium needs. Fasting also reduces the need for insulin, which may limit sodium reabsorption,alongside having no sodium intake from food.

When sodium levels drop too low—a condition known as hyponatremia—symptoms can include headaches, confusion, muscle cramps, fatigue and brain fog. This can result from insufficient sodium intake but is more often due to excessive sodium loss through vomiting, diarrhoea or excessive sweating. Athletes, in particular, may have higher sodium requirements and are at risk of hyponatremia if they do not adequately replace sodium and hydrate only with plain water.

Research shows that replenishing sodium during exercise exercise helps to prevent decreases in serum sodium concentration typically observed when consuming fluids without sodium during exercise. Due to sodium’s effect on the body’s fluid balance, pre-ingestion of a high-sodium beverage has been found to to increase plasma volume, improving cardiac output and exercise capacity. Similarly, the consumption of an electrolyte drink containing sodium, alongside potassium and magnesium, has been found to enhance the body’s ability to retain water, improve exercise performance and reduce post-exercise fatigue.

Two Islands Electrolyte⁴ uses sea salt harvested from the pristine waters of the Southern Ocean. This salt is obtained through a natural evaporative process, preserving its purity and mineral content. One notable advantage of using natural sea salt is that it tends to undergo less processing, allowing it to retain a wider range of minerals—including magnesium and zinc—compared to regular table salt.