1. Electrolytes Regulate Fluids
Chloride is one of many minerals in the human body. Together with potassium and sodium, these electrolyte minerals keep the right amount of fluids in your body. The kidneys control the amount of chloride in your body to make sure you have enough to meet your metabolism needs.
2. A Salty Diet Means Few Deficiencies
People rarely need to worry about a chloride deficiency because salt provides most of our chloride needs. The American diet, in particular, offers plenty of salt so you rarely need supplements. Every time you have a salad, your body receives a good supply of chloride from the lettuce, celery and tomatoes. Seaweed and olives are also good chloride sources.
3. Losing Fluids Leads to Trouble
Although people rarely experience chloride deficiencies, it can happen when you lose too much fluid from heavy sweating or severe vomiting or diarrhea. This throws your electrolytes, particularly chloride and potassium, out of balance. That's why it's important to stay hydrated, especially when exercising. You can consume electrolyte-replenishing drinks such as Gatorade during heavy exercise or a doctor can prescribe chloride supplements, if necessary.
4. Test the Blood Chloride Level
The Serum Chloride Level test is a blood test that measures the chloride in your blood. A normal reading is between 95 to 105 milliequivalents per liter. High levels may indicate problems with your kidneys or parathyroid hormone. It can also mean that you eat too much salt and have problems with retaining water. Low chloride levels usually come after illnesses or from taking diuretics (water pills). However, keep in mind some medications and herbs can affect the results of this test.
5. The Chloride and Chlorine Connection
Chlorine is a version of chloride present in the water system and used to kill bacteria in both swimming pools and drinking water. Too much chlorine is toxic and quite dangerous. But without chlorine in your drinking water, you are at risk from diseases that come from contaminated water. This can occur when you visit foreign countries that don't have the same kind of filtration system as the United States. Drinking local water can lead to cramps and diarrhea. In the United States, public health officials regularly monitor the level of chlorine in water. Ask your local water authority bureau how often they check chlorine levels in the water and for the level numbers themselves.
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