Sodium is a mineral. It carries a positive electrical charge and is dissolved in water found throughout the body. It is critical for proper cellular functioning and hence your health. However, excessive salt intake and disorders of sodium will cause problems for the body. Consult a physician for the diagnosis and treatment of health conditions related to sodium intake.
Hypertension
Hypertension means high blood pressure, which describes the force placed on the walls of blood vessels by blood. High blood pressure can lead to kidney damage, strokes and heart attacks, among other problems. In the body, water follows sodium. Excessive sodium in the diet can raise blood pressure by increasing the amount of fluid in the blood.
Hypernatremia
Hypernatremia refers to high sodium in the blood. A rapid increase of sodium in the blood is bad for cells and the organs they're part of. If the sodium level rises around the cells, water flows out of the cells, causing them to shrink, which can lead to organ dysfunction.
Hyponatremia
Hypontremia, or low blood sodium, is also bad for the body. As the blood level of sodium drops relative to the inside of the cells, water flows into the cells, causing them to swell. The swelling can cause cellular and organ dysfunction, and if they swell too much, they can burst. In the brain, this can cause permanent damage. Symptoms of increased and decreased sodium in the blood are typically not specific, but they include nausea, malaise, weakness, fatigue, coma and death.
Intake and Regulation
To some degree, the body can compensate for increased intake of sodium. Excessive intake may not increase the concentration of sodium in the body, but it can still increase the total amount in the body, causing increased blood pressure. Disorders of the brain, heart, adrenal glands and kidneys will also effect sodium concentrations, causing both sodium and fluid problems.
References
- "Physiology, fourth edition"; Linda S.Costanzo; 2008
- "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 17th edition"; Anthony S. Fauci, et al.; 2008
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