Sodium has a variety of uses. It assists in blood pressure regulation, fluid volume maintenance, nerve conduction and muscle contraction. Sodium is added to foods as a flavor enhancer and is used as a preservative. The recommended dietary sodium intake is 2,300 mg per day. You should consume less than 1,500 mg if you have high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney disease, are over age 50 or are African American. Most Americans consume more than 3,400 mg of sodium every day, according to MayoClinic.com.
Sources
Sodium occurs naturally in some foods and is added to others. Vegetables, meat and milk contain sodium naturally. About 75 percent of the sodium in the American diet is added, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Sodium chloride, or table salt, is the most common type of added sodium. Others include monosodium glutamate, sodium bicarbonate or baking soda and sodium nitrate. These are added to processed, prepared and prepackaged foods as well as condiments and processed meats.
Hyponatremia
Normal blood sodium levels range from 135 to 145 milliequivalents per liter. Low blood sodium levels, or hyponatremia, can be caused by conditions that cause your body to lose too much sodium, such as excessive sweating, vomiting, diarrhea and taking diuretics. Other causes of low blood sodium include congestive heart failure, cirrhosis and kidney disease. Occasionally hyponatremia can result from decreased sodium in your diet or drinking too much water.
Signs and Symptoms
Your sodium levels can drop gradually over time. According to American Family Physicians, you may not experience symptoms until your blood levels are less than 120 milliequivalents per liter. Symptoms include confusion, weakness and fatigue, or coma and death in severe cases.
Tests and Treatment
A basic metabolic panel measures blood levels of electrolytes like sodium, glucose and blood pH. A BMP, along with a urine sodium level, helps your doctor identify the cause of hyponatremia. If the blood level is normal and the urine sodium level is increased, sodium loss may be due to sweating, diarrhea, vomiting or medications. When blood sodium levels and urine levels are low, it may be due to decreased sodium intake. Treatment focuses on the cause of the hyponatremia. If hyponatremia is severe, your doctor may order intravenous fluids.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Sodium: How to Tame Your Salt Habit Now; March 2011
- Medline Plus; Sodium in Diet; May 2010
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005: Chapter 8 Sodium and Potassium; July 2008
- Lab Tests Online; Basic Metabolic Panel; March 2009
- Lab Tests Online; Sodium; April 2011
- Medline Plus; Sodium - Blood; November 2009
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