Health professionals stress the importance of low-sodium diets for heart health and prevention of high blood pressure. However, the body needs some sodium to function properly, according to the National Institutes of Health. Sodium is necessary for health, but it can also cause health problems. Doctors stress the importance of controlling sodium intake to ensure that you are getting enough to meet your body’s needs without exceeding healthy levels.
Sodium
Sodium is a natural ingredient in most foods and is added to others in its various forms. Sodium chloride, the name for table salt, is the most common form of sodium. Table salt contains chlorine and 40 percent sodium. One teaspoon of table salt contains 2,300 mg of sodium. Other forms of sodium are monosodium glutamate, baking soda and sodium nitrite. These forms of sodium are added to seasonings, condiments or used as preservatives.
Functions
Sodium is one of the minerals that helps to regulate biological processes. Sodium works with potassium to regulate the operation of your nervous system, including helping neurons to send messages throughout your body. Without the transmission of nerve impulses, your muscles would not function. Sodium is one of the electrolytes in your body that control the fluids in your body and regulate electrical activity in your heart, nerves and muscles. Your body fluids include the fluid between cells, blood, plasma and water. Sodium works with potassium to maintain the proper balance of fluids in your body and regulate your blood pressure and blood volume.
Healthy Levels
Hyponatremia is the medical term for insufficient sodium in the blood. Sodium deficiency causes water levels in your body to rise, which leads to swelling of your cells. The swelling of cells can cause medical conditions that range from mild to severe, according to the Mayo Clinic. Underlying medical conditions can cause hyponatremia. The condition is also caused when the body’s sodium is diluted by drinking too much water, such as during sports activities. Your kidneys, which control sodium levels in the body, cannot remove excess sodium. The build-up of excess sodium in the blood can cause high blood pressure, which can lead to other health problems. Excess sodium also causes fluid retention in people who have kidney disease, congestive heart failure and other medical conditions.
Recommendations
The National Institutes of Health, or NIH, recommends 2,300 milligrams of sodium as the daily intake limit for healthy adults. The NIH recommends a limit of 1,500 milligrams of sodium daily for people with high blood pressure. The NIH does not provide specific recommendations for children and teens, but recommends a consistently moderate intake to develop healthy habits. Women who are pregnant need a doctor’s recommendation for sodium levels since too little sodium can harm the mother and the fetus.
References
- MedlinePlus: Sodium in Diet
- Colorado State University Extension: Potassium and Health; J. Anderson, et al; August 2008
- University of Florida IFAS Extension: Facts About Minerals
- Alabama Cooperative Extension Services: Sodium and Potassium; December 1993
- Merck Manual Home Health Handbook; Electrolytes; August 2008
- MayoClinic.com; Hyponatremia; July 2011
- MedlinePlus: Dietary Sodium
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