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  • Why the body needs sodium. How much sodium per day do we need?

Why the body needs sodium. How much sodium per day do we need?
In a nutshell

In a nutshell

  • Sodium is only needed in small amounts to provide health benefits.
  • Even fruits and vegetables have small amounts of sodium.
  • All sources may quickly add up to the maximum recommended allowance.
Key sources:
Table salt
Cheese
Milk
Vegetables
Essential for:
Blood
Nervous system
Muscles
Sodium (Na)

Sodium is most commonly found in the human diet as sodium chloride or regular table salt. This is formed when sodium combines with chlorine. Sodium is an elemental mineral that is a metal in its natural form.
Sodium is only needed in small amounts to provide health benefits. Sodium is an electrolyte, helping to maintain a proper balance of fluid within cells. This nutrient is also vital for nerve signals and impulses as well as for muscle functioning by way of contractions and relaxation.

Sodium deficiency

It is rare to be deficient in sodium. Sodium is naturally present in many foods and widely used in processed foods in the form of salt. However, low blood sodium, or hyponatremia, may occur with excessive loss of fluids through vomiting, diarrhea, and even profuse sweating. Deficiency may result in:
• Nausea and vomiting;
• Muscle spasms, cramps, or weakness;
• Headache;
• Lethargy and fatigue;
• Confusion;
• Loss of appetite;
• Seizures;
• Coma;
• Death.

Overdose and Toxicity Symptoms

Sodium overdose may be a result of salt over-consumption, with symptoms that include:
• Muscle twitching and tremors;
• Fluid build-up around organs;
• Irritability;
• Altered mental states;
• High blood pressure;
• Excessive thirst;
• Ruptured blood vessels in the brain;
• Coma;
• Death.

Maximum Recommended Allowance

Guidelines for sodium intake recommend no more than 2,300 mg/day of this mineral - it is equivalent of one teaspoon of table salt. Most individuals do not need any more than 1,500 mg/day for proper health.

Sources of sodium
Most processed foods have lots of sodium unless they are labeled as containing low salt. You can get your sodium through natural food sources as well.
• 1 cup of low-fat milk: 100 mg;
• 1 ounce of provolone cheese: 48 mg;
• 1 egg: 59 mg;
• 3 ounces baked flounder: 201 mg;

All fruits and vegetables have small amounts of sodium. All sources may quickly add up to the maximum recommended allowance.
"Sodium" coming from the Arabic term "sudae" ...
Although sodium and its salts have been used since ancient times, the elemental metal sodium was not first isolated until the early 1800s. Sodium (solution of baking soda) has long been known for its ability to relieve headaches, with the word "sodium" coming from the Arabic term "sudae" صداع , which means headache. The chemical abbreviation for sodium is "Na", short for the Latin "natrium", which refers to the Egyptian region Wadi El Natrun. Natrium salts deposits located in Wadi El Natrun were the source of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) for Ancient Egypt. Baking soda was used in Ancient Egypt in the mummification process.
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