The Dangers of Sodium

Sodium is a mineral that humans need in specific amounts for the body to perform functions that include transmission of signals in the nervous system, maintenance of the body's water balance and muscle relaxation and contraction. In the amounts commonly consumed in the American diet, sodium also poses significant risks by increasing chances for the onset of a number of serious health problems.

Background

Sodium is a natural component of most foods, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's MedlinePlus reports. However, most people get the majority of their sodium intake from salt, a compound that contains 40 percent sodium, in addition to another important mineral called chloride. Salt is added to processed or manufactured foods. These foods can also contain a number of other sodium-based compounds, such as monosodium glutamate, sodium benzoate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium saccharin and sodium nitrite.

Hypertension and Fatal Illness

Some people are sensitive to the chemical effects of sodium. In these individuals, consumption of excessive amounts of sodium can lead to the development of hypertension, or high blood pressure, a condition characterized by unusually high amounts of force placed on artery walls during the active and/or resting phases of your heartbeat. Over time, this heightened pressure can trigger damage in areas that include your blood vessels, heart and kidneys. Potential consequences of this damage include stroke, heart failure, coronary heart disease and kidney failure. Any of these conditions can kill you.

Fluid Imbalances

Excessive salt intake also can alter the normal balance between the fluid inside and outside the cells in your body, Oregon State University's Linus Pauling Institute explains. If your kidneys are working properly, they will try to offset any imbalance by excreting unneeded sodium in your urine. However, if you consume a lot of salt in a short period of time, you can overwhelm this mechanism and develop symptoms that include abdominal cramping, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. In rare cases, people who swallow a large quantity of sea water or receive sodium in intravenous, or IV, solutions can develop a condition called hypernatremia. Potential consequences of severe forms of this condition include hypertension, swelling, seizures, breathing difficulties, accelerated heartbeat, coma and death.

Intake Recommendations

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that a healthy adult consume no more than 2,300 mg of sodium per day. Recommended maximum daily intake drops to 1,500 mg per day for children, as well as for anyone age 51 or older, African Americans and people who have health problems that include hypertension, chronic kidney disease, cirrhosis of the liver or diabetes. A single teaspoon of salt contains 2,325 mg of sodium, and the average sodium intake for Americans is 3,400 mg per day. By the USDA's calculation, roughly half of the U.S. population should consume no more than 1,500 mg of sodium a day.

Consult your doctor for more information on potential dangers associated with the consumption of sodium.