Low blood sodium, referred to as hyponatremia, can occur when the sodium in your blood is abnormally low or when the water in your blood is abnormally high. This condition is common in older adults due to reduced ability to handle the sodium and water balance in the body. According to MayoClinic.com, a healthy adult should not consume more than 2,300 mg of sodium per day. A person with high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney disease, or middle-aged and older should not consume more than 1,500 mg of sodium per day. Low sodium can have many effects on your body and overall health that you need to be aware of.
Common Effects
You may experience many common effects of having low sodium in your blood. MayoClinic.com informs that there are many common effects including nausea and vomiting, headache, lethargy, confusion, fatigue, restlessness, loss of appetite, seizures, muscle cramps or spasms.
Dangerous Effects
If your sodium levels drop very rapidly, you may be at risk of more serious health effects. According to MayoClinic.com, a sudden drop in sodium can lead to an accelerated swelling of the brain. This can be harmful since it can lead to coma or death. You should consult your doctor if you exhibit less severe or any side effects in order to prevent your condition from worsening.
Bone And Skeletal Health
A study in the 2005 " Journal of Bone and Mineral Metabolism" indicated that in women who were postmenopausal and consuming higher than 3.4 of sodium per day, adopting a low-sodium diet had benefits for their skeletal health. The women reduced their sodium consumption to an intake of 2 g of sodium/day and this improved the maintenance of healthy and strong bones. This is important in order to prevent or relieve symptoms of osteoporosis, a condition in which the bones weaken and you can become prone to fractures and falls.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Hyponatremia
- MayoClinic.com: Sodium
- "Journal of Bone and Mineral Metabolism": Effects Of A Low Sodium Diet On Bone Metabolism. (2005). Carbone, Barrow, Bush, Boatright, Michelson, Pitts, Pintea, Kang, Watsky. 23(6)
- MayoClinic.com: Hyponatremia: Symptoms
- MayoClinic.com: Hyponatremia: Complications
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