Friday, July 28, 2017

Sodium

Q:
Too much sodium in your diet is bad.  Can you have too little sodium in your diet?  What are the side effects?

A:
A low blood sodium level is called Hyponatremia.

Common reasons for Hyponatremia:
         Excess water in the body which dilutes the normal sodium concentration
        From consuming large amounts of water during strenuous exercise
        From chronic diseases like kidney failure or heart failure that lead to water retention
         Prolonged sodium loss due to sweating, vomiting, or diarrhea
         Medical conditions such as Cirrhosis or Addison's disease
         Or medications such as diuretics

Side effects of prolonged/chronic Hyponatremia:
         Headaches
         Weakness
         Muscle cramps
         Diminish mental acuteness

Notice that a regular diet low in sodium is not a common reason for Hyponatremia.  As a matter of fact, the CDC has concluded that 90% of children and 89% of adults in the United States consume more than the recommended limits for sodium.  The main culprits are eating out, processed food, and pre-packaged foods.  Too little sodium from nutritional habits is usually not an issue.


The following websites were used in answering the question:



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