Three to five thousand milligrams of sodium per day. That target is nearly double standard dietary guidelines. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism confirmed the mechanism: low-carb diets drop insulin, and lower insulin signals the kidneys to excrete sodium aggressively. Your body is not broken, Paolo. It is responding exactly as designed. But that response has a cost. Ignore it, and fatigue, cramps, and brain fog arrive fast. While organ meats provide nutritional completeness, this lecture emphasizes the critical role of electrolytes in maintaining performance and recovery on a carnivore diet. The mechanism is direct. When glycogen depletes in the first 24 to 48 hours of carnivore or fasting, bound water releases. Sodium, potassium, and magnesium leave with it. That is physiology, not a side effect. Salt your food heavily from day one. A common mistake is increasing water intake without electrolytes, which exacerbates mineral imbalance. Excessive water without electrolytes dilutes existing minerals, making the imbalance worse. High protein intake also increases calcium excretion. That adds a fourth mineral requiring active replenishment. Track all four: sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium. Miss any one, Paolo, and performance drops. Electrolytes support muscle contractions, nerve signaling, fluid balance, and energy production simultaneously. Fasting intensifies electrolyte depletion. As insulin drops further, sodium excretion increases, necessitating careful electrolyte management. Sodium excretion tapers to just 1 to 15 milliequivalents per day in prolonged fasts. That is a near-total flush. Take electrolytes in the morning, before exercise, not after. They enable fasted training by preventing cramps and sustaining energy output when no food is present. Athletes should prioritize post-exercise electrolyte replenishment to counteract losses from both fasting and sweating. Here is the adaptation payoff. After several weeks to months on carnivore, the kidneys become efficient at retaining electrolytes from salted animal foods alone. Well-adapted dieters at the six-month mark often require zero supplemental electrolytes beyond what they eat. The aggressive phase is temporary. Strategic salt use, intermittent fasting, and heavy resistance training together accelerate every benefit carnivore delivers. Salt is not optional. It is the lever that makes the whole system work.