A certain amount of dietary sodium is essential for good health. Without enough of this nutrient, your body has difficulty maintaining an appropriate balance of fluid. Sodium also plays a key role in the relaxation and contraction of your muscles, as well as the transmission of nerve impulses. High-sodium diets, however, are associated with a higher than average risk for high blood pressure, or hypertension, which increases your likelihood for serious adverse health consequences. Conversely, dietary salt restriction, particularly when combined with other healthy lifestyle changes, decreases these risks.
Arteries
Healthy arteries are flexible to allow for unimpaired blood flow to your body's organs. Uncontrolled hypertension damages the inner lining of your arterial walls, significantly reducing their elasticity over time. Known as arteriosclerosis, hardening of your arteries increases your risk for atherosclerosis, a condition in which the buildup of cholesterol and fat along your arterial walls leads to narrowing and eventual blockage of the vessels. Severe arterial occlusion causes insufficient blood flow to your heart, kidneys, brain and appendages. Therefore, atherosclerosis significantly increases your chances for heart attack, kidney failure, stroke and circulation disorders of your arms and legs.
Heart
Decreasing dietary sodium is one of several interventions for lowering high blood pressure, whose effects on your heart lead to abnormal enlargement and failure. If you have hypertension, your heart works harder to maintain an adequate flow of blood throughout your body. An increased workload on heart muscle, as with other muscles in your body, eventually causes it to enlarge. Occurring on the left side of your heart, the enlargement impairs your heart's ability to pump effectively, which can lead to heart failure as well as an increased risk for heart attack and sudden death.
Kidneys
The internal structures of your kidneys are fragile and therefore vulnerable to the effects of hypertension. A common cause of kidney failure, high blood pressure can damage the organs to the point they are no longer able to effectively filter and clean wastes from your blood, which are left to build up to potentially toxic levels. Without appropriate medical intervention, such as dialysis, health deteriorates rapidly and complications are potentially fatal.
Brain
Atherosclerosis caused by high blood pressure potentially results in narrowing or blockages of the vessels responsible for supplying blood to your brain. Conditions associated with restricted blood flow to the brain include stroke and cognitive disorders. Your blood supplies your brain with the oxygen it needs for proper functioning. A lack of oxygen leads to brain cell death, the result of which is a stroke. Cognitive impairment and dementia are other potential manifestations of impaired blood flow to your brain.
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