To function properly, your body requires a regular intake of sodium. In the United States, where the average diet tends to deliver sodium in excess of the recommended daily amount, low sodium levels are rare among women. However, certain medications and health conditions contribute to excess sodium elimination, resulting in low blood levels. Sustained lower-than-normal sodium levels can lead to the development of hyponatremia, a dangerous condition that can cause brain swelling.
Sodium and Women's Health
Your body depends on sodium to maintain normal blood pressure and regulate blood volume, to support the function of nerves and muscles, and to balance fluid levels. Dietary sodium occurs naturally in most foods, and the most concentrated form is sodium chloride, also known as table salt. The National Institutes of Health advises that women intake no more than 2,300 mg of sodium per day, and according to MayoClinic.com, a normal blood sodium level falls between 135 and 145 mEq per liter.
Low Sodium Levels in Women
Low sodium levels in women are those below 135 mEq/L, a point at which hyponatremia can develop. Reduced sodium levels in the blood reflect an imbalance in water to sodium concentrations in the body, and occur due to one of three conditions. In euvolemic hyponatremia, total body water increases while the sodium level remains the same. Hypervolemic hyponatremia results when both sodium and water levels increase, but the water gain is disproportionately greater. Hypovolemic hyponatremia results from losses of both sodium and water, wherein the sodium reduction is greater. Hyponatremia causes the cells to swell with excess water, and although most of the body cells can tolerate swelling, those in the brain cannot due to the confines of the skull.
Causes of Low Sodium
Low sodium almost never results from a lack of dietary salt, but rather from health conditions that stimulate sodium losses. Causes of low sodium include vomiting, diarrhea, diuretic medications, congestive heart failure, kidney diseases and liver cirrhosis. A low sodium level may be accompanied by a number of symptoms, including confusion, fatigue, headache, irritability, loss of appetite and muscle weakness.
Treatment
The treatment of low sodium levels typically depends on addressing the cause of hyponatremia and thereby resolving the condition that creates the salt to water imbalance. While treatments often depend on the specific type of hyponatremia, solutions for care may include intravenous fluids, limiting water intake and medications to relieve symptoms.
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