The essential electrolyte sodium plays a key role in many of your body's functions. A balance between sodium intake and losses maintains normal sodium levels in the blood within a tight range. Several conditions and diseases can disrupt this...
Sodium is a chemical element essential for human life. Sodium is found in many different kinds of food, including common salt. You need sodium to help maintain fluid balance within your body, for proper function of nerves and muscle and to...
Sodium is an electrolyte in blood that helps regulate the amount of water in the body. Conditions such as dehydration, kidney failure, medications and diarrhea may cause the sodium levels in the body to increase or decrease. An imbalance in sodium...
Sodium is an electrolyte that helps your body maintain stable water within and around its cells. Your body's sodium level represents how much sodium and water your body takes in through food and drink and how much it excretes through urine, stool...
Sodium is an electrolyte nutrient that carries an electric charge throughout your body. Sodium is an essential nutrient that helps control the absorption of other nutrients, manages your blood volume and blood pressure. Sodium levels in babies can...
The body maintains sodium levels in a normal, narrow range of values in health. It does this through the actions of hormones and organs such as the kidneys. Sodium is maintained in a narrow range of values because high and low sodium levels are...
Sodium is one type of electrolyte found in the blood. Proper sodium levels are necessary both for cellular function and to help regulate the amount of water in the body. As a result, abnormal sodium levels can have a profound effect on the body...
Sodium is an essential mineral classified as a macromineral because the body requires more than 100 mg per day. Sodium supports vital life functions by regulating blood volume and blood pressure and serving an essential role in normal muscle and...
Sodium is a mineral which is an electrolyte, meaning it is electrically charged when it is found in the body. Sodium is important because it plays a role in regulating the function of nerve cells and because it also affects how much liquid your...
Hyponatremia, or low sodium levels in the blood, can cause a person to be at increased risk for seizure, coma and death. If your sodium is low enough, you may exhibit signs of extreme tiredness and confusion. Hyponatremia should be considered an...
Rising dietary sodium intake combined with a growing obesity epidemic are prompting scientists to take a closer look at salt intake in children. With nearly 80 percent of sodium in U.S. diets originating from salt hidden in processed foods,...
Sodium, also known as salt, is safe in moderation during pregnancy, according to Babycenter. However, if you experience health problems, such as high blood pressure, you may need to re-evaluate your daily salt intake and how it affects your body's...
The adrenals are a pair of triangular-shaped glands that sit atop the kidneys. They are in charge of secreting hormones that modulate the body's stress response and fluid and electrolyte balance. One of those hormones is aldosterone....
About half of all Americans should reduce their sodium intake to 1,500 mg or less, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Yet the average sodium intake in this country is 3,400 mg per day. High...
Dehydration results from a deficit of water in the body. Water is one of the most important compounds in the body, necessary for the processes of energy generation and removal of waste products. When the body lacks enough water, dehydration...
Sodium is necessary for muscle contraction, heart function and nerve impulse transmission. It helps your body absorb and transport amino acids, glucose and water, as well as regulates blood volume and pressure. Too little or too much can have...
One teaspoon of salt contains 2,335 mg of sodium, a content larger than the upper recommendations from the Institute of Medicine. Your body needs sodium to function. It keeps fluids and other electrolytes balanced in your body and is essential for...
Most of the sodium that you consume comes from salt that is added to foods, with three-quarters of all U.S. salt consumption coming from commercially processed foods, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. The average sodium levels in...
Sodium is a mineral that is essential for the normal function of the human body, according to Dr. James Balch and Phyllis Balch, authors of "Prescription for Nutritional Healing." It is essential for maintaining pH blood levels and proper water...
When hearing the word "diabetic," most people think of high sugar in the body. This is true with diabetes mellitus, which is the inability of the pancreas to make insulin in response to sugars or carbohydrates, or the inability of the body to use...
Seizures happen when an electrical misfiring in the brain causes symptoms which may range from a loss of consciousness to convulsions or sensory hallucinations. The condition epilepsy is diagnosed when a person experiences a pattern of recurring...
Sodium is a necessary nutrient; your body needs it to regulate water balance in your cells and keep your nerves and muscles functioning properly, says the Colorado State University Extension. But when you consume too much sodium -- in the form of...
Sodium is an essential mineral in your diet, promoting fluid balance. But too much sodium can lead to high blood pressure and increase your risk of heart disease, stroke and kidney disease. To inform yourself about sodium in your food and the...
Sodium is an electrolyte, an electrically charge molecule important in the body's fluid balance. Sodium is also important for the regulation of blood pressure, and for the functioning of muscles and nerves. Alterations in the level of sodium in...
Cutting back on sodium can benefit health, reducing the risk of a variety of deadly diseases. Choosing low sodium foods over those filled with added salts is the cornerstone of a heart-healthy diet. However, before you can reduce your sodium...
Potassium and sodium are essential nutrients and need to be consumed in small amounts for the body to function properly. They are classified as electrolytes, and as such need to be kept in balance for optimum health. Too much or too little of...
The United States Department of Agriculture publishes (USDA) dietary recommendations every five years for macro and micro-nutrients including sodium. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010, Americans consume on average 3,400mg 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....
Low sodium levels, or hyponatremia, can lead to confusion, a coma or even death. It is the most common electrolyte disorder in the United States, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Low sodium levels must be treated promptly to...
Sodium is a necessary electrolyte but should be kept to 2.4 grams a day. Learn how to eat a low sodium diet with professional tips in this nutrition video.
Limiting potassium in your diet can help patients with Addison's disease. Learn how to adjust your diet to fit your specific health and nutrition needs in this healthy shopping video.
Reading the labels of food items is important to properly balance a diet and uncover less obvious ingredients in food products. Try these tips for reading food labels in this healthy shopping video.
