How do electrolytes keep you hidrated and why they are necessary?

Question

A lot of drinks claims that electrolyte salts (like Na, Mg and K) keeps you hidrated, if you have diarrea or if you are a professional athlead.
And those salts are essencial in long fasts as well.
I don’t understand why

In: Biology

Answer 1

Your body loses electrolytes when you sweat (or lose a lot of water in general).

The problem is, your body uses those electrolytes for signaling in the body: your nerves pump electrolytes in and out of themselves to send electrical signals through your body, your muscle cells use them to control movement. It’s essential to replace them as your body loses them.