> Rather, when you drink water,
> it's important to also get some electrolytes, specifically sodium.  3 oz
> of sirloin, salmon, or chicken has about 50 - 60 mg of sodium. Not a
> high amount, but probably all we need.

I think the body adjusts to our increased levels of fluid intake. You get
used to it, perhaps by holding onto electrolytes you'd otherwise just piss
away.

Atkins is a very diuretic diet. When I started Atkins I, like many others,
had symptoms of electrolyte deficiency (weakness, tiredness, lack of feeling
in the lower extremities in some cases), and I increased my intake of
electrolytes and was fine. But after a while I didn't need to worry about it
and stopped taking any extra electrolytes.

I theorize that drinking a lot of fluids helps in another way. Your kidneys
get larger in response to the greater load. Kidneys decrease their
efficiency, which is a biomarker of aging. I theorize that bigger kidneys
will work well for alonger period of time.

--Richard