Thyroid disorders can be a cause of hyponatremia, or low blood sodium, which is why you may associate thyroid medication with low blood sodium. However, thyroid medications do not typically cause hyponatremia; in fact, they may help to prevent it.
The human body keeps blood sodium concentration in a tight range of 135 to 145 meq/L. According to Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, low blood sodium, or hyponatremia, is defined as a sodium level less than 135 meq/L. Mild hyponatremia...
Your sodium level has a direct impact on your blood pressure -- high levels of sodium can increase your risk of heart disease. According to the American Heart Association, a reduced sodium intake "can lower blood pressure, prevent hypertension,...
Sodium plays a critical role in the regulation of your major bodily functions. How much or how little fluid you retain, as well as the functioning of your nervous system and your muscles all depend on sodium. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for...
Hyponatremia refers to a dangerously low sodium level in the fluid surrounding your body's cells. Your body needs sodium, an electrolyte, for numerous critical life functions, including nervous system and muscle actions. Hyponatremia often...
Low levels of sodium in the blood, medically termed hyponatremia, can cause serious medical problems. The most common electrolyte imbalance seen in the United States, according to PubMedHealth, hyponatremia can be worsened by large amounts of...
Low blood sodium or hyponatremia is a condition in which there is low sodium content, or salt, in the blood, states Medline Plus of the National Institutes of Health. Hyponatremia is usually caused by drinking too much water or not taking in...
Sodium is an important mineral because it functions as an electrolyte. This means that it has an electrical charge when it is dissolved in blood or other liquids in the body. Changes in electrolyte levels affect cells because they use electrolytes...
Sodium is an essential element that regulates blood volume and blood pressure. Your body needs sodium for nerve function and muscle contraction -- but if you're sodium-sensitive, too much sodium can lead to high blood pressure. The American Heart...
The body needs some sodium to remain healthy. Sodium must be present for the heart, nerves and muscles to function properly. It plays a role in digestion and helps the body retain adequate levels of water. However, if the level of sodium gets too...
Despite the popularity of high-sodium foods, it may be possible for your body to get too little sodium. Your body requires some of this element, and although people commonly consume too much of it, certain conditions may cause your blood sodium...
Sodium is one of the major electrolytes, carefully maintained within a narrow normal range and necessary for proper functioning of your body's systems. Low sodium levels, or hyponatremia, occur in a wide variety of medical disorders including...
Sodium plays a vital role in maintaining the body's functioning. Sodium helps maintain blood pressure, supports the nerves and muscles and regulates fluid balance within the body. When sodium levels drop, excess water enters the cells causing them...
The human body needs sodium, commonly known as salt, to function. Salt helps to balance the amount of water in and out of cells and acts as an electrolyte, aiding in the transmission of electrical impulses between the nerves, muscles and brain....
Sodium in the blood normally stays within a narrow range, between 135 and 145 milliequivalents per liter, or mEq/L, MayoClinic.com reports. Sodium, an essential mineral, helps maintain blood pressure and aids in normal muscle and nerve function,...
Doctors diagnose high blood pressure when systolic pressure is 140 or above or diastolic pressure is 90 or above. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, increases the risk of heart disease. There is no cure for hypertension but with lifestyle...
It's important for people with high blood pressure to eat low-sodium foods because too much sodium can raise their blood pressure to even higher levels, increasing their risk of health problems such as strokes, heart attacks and kidney disease,...
More than 74 million adults over the age of 20 have high blood pressure, according to the American Heart Association. High blood pressure -- a measurement of 140/90 or greater -- increases a person's risk of heart attack, stroke and kidney...
A low-sodium diet, which is defined as a diet with no more than 1,000mg of sodium daily, is essential to managing hypertension, the medical term for high blood pressure. Without proper management of hypertension, a variety of serious health...
Your kidneys maintain the right balance of fluids in body, eliminating excess sodium and controlling blood volume and pressure. When your kidneys can't excrete sodium fast enough, blood volume increases and your heart works harder, increasing...
Getting your high blood pressure under control can help improve your heart health. Hypertension strongly increases your risk for developing cardiovascular disease. Sodium increases blood pressure because it causes your body to retain water. When...
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people with high blood pressure limit sodium intake to no more than 1,500 mg daily. If you have other risks for heart disease, such as diabetes, your doctor may recommend you consume...
High sodium diets are more often linked to high blood pressure than those low in this mineral. While sodium is important to maintaining blood pressure, low levels don't cause a rise in blood pressure. Instead, you may suffer other complications...
One out of every three adults has high blood pressure, according to the American Heart Association. High blood pressure -- a measurement greater than 140/90 -- increases a person's risk of heart disease, kidney disease and stroke. It is, however,...
When it is consumed excessively over a long period of time, sodium can earn its nickname as the "silent killer." But sodium is actually a necessary nutrient for many different processes in your body. When your body's blood sodium levels get too...
Sodium is a very important electrolyte in the blood; it helps maintain adequate blood volume. In the body, more sodium is outside the cells than inside, because the cell membranes are not freely permeable. Low levels of blood sodium can result in...
The body adjusts kidney function to meet current demands using hormones and the nervous system. When the kidneys are dysfunctional, they are less responsive to hormones. Low blood sodium can be caused by abnormal kidney function, due to lack of...
Low sodium levels, or hyponatremia, is a condition in which the levels of sodium, or salt, in your blood stream are too low. Uncorrected low blood sodium can cause fatigue, headache, confusion, hallucinations, muscle weakness, nausea and coma....
Addison's disease, or primary adrenal insufficiency, is the inadequate production and release of hormones from the adrenal glands. The adrenal glands are found on top of both kidneys and are responsible for the production of epinephrine,...
The DASH diet is a dietary approach to stop hypertension. Learn more about the DASH diet in this health and nutrition video.