Sodium

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  • NavajoGirl85
    NavajoGirl85 Posts: 164 Member
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    If your labs came back OK then your sodium level is not too low.

    She said that if my levels are low but not too low at the time of labs then it sometimes won't show. However, I told her that I felt the dizziness the day of the labs just like I felt after the labs so it didn't make sense to me. She said we will try to increase sodium and see if it helps.
  • Christylee76
    Christylee76 Posts: 138 Member
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    I actually have low sodium too. I have been feeling groggy/sluggish for about 3 weeks now. My Dr ordered lab work and that's when I noticed my sodium level was low. He straight up told me to drink Gatorade, which I have had a hard time doing because it's loaded with sugar/calories. I had it rechecked and it's still low, so I went and ate fast food for the first time in 7 months. It came up 2 points but it's still low. I did find the Gatorade G2 which is lower sugar/calorie content. Anyone else has suggestions for me since this seems to be very common in athletes. I work out 6 days a week, doing a lot of cardio and a lot of sweating!
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,401 MFP Moderator
    edited March 2017
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    I actually have low sodium too. I have been feeling groggy/sluggish for about 3 weeks now. My Dr ordered lab work and that's when I noticed my sodium level was low. He straight up told me to drink Gatorade, which I have had a hard time doing because it's loaded with sugar/calories. I had it rechecked and it's still low, so I went and ate fast food for the first time in 7 months. It came up 2 points but it's still low. I did find the Gatorade G2 which is lower sugar/calorie content. Anyone else has suggestions for me since this seems to be very common in athletes. I work out 6 days a week, doing a lot of cardio and a lot of sweating!

    NUUN, ZippFizz, salt tablets, and Emergen-c have some of the higher concentrations of electrolytes for the least amount of calories. Also, just drop some salt on your food. You can also drink broth.


    It's really not that hard. My wife needs 10,000mg of salt a day. She literally will salt bacon.
  • TheCupcakeCounter
    TheCupcakeCounter Posts: 606 Member
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    My husband has chronic low blood pressure and was told by 2 heart doctors to eat more sodium so it is a thing. My recommended sodium amount from MFP is about 2300 so that seems normal to me.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,401 MFP Moderator
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    If your labs came back OK then your sodium level is not too low.

    She said that if my levels are low but not too low at the time of labs then it sometimes won't show. However, I told her that I felt the dizziness the day of the labs just like I felt after the labs so it didn't make sense to me. She said we will try to increase sodium and see if it helps.

    So the big question is, have you increased sodium?


    Also, labs show a point in time or a prolonged deficiency. They don't show daily modifications to electrolyte imbalances.
  • TheCupcakeCounter
    TheCupcakeCounter Posts: 606 Member
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    I actually have low sodium too. I have been feeling groggy/sluggish for about 3 weeks now. My Dr ordered lab work and that's when I noticed my sodium level was low. He straight up told me to drink Gatorade, which I have had a hard time doing because it's loaded with sugar/calories. I had it rechecked and it's still low, so I went and ate fast food for the first time in 7 months. It came up 2 points but it's still low. I did find the Gatorade G2 which is lower sugar/calorie content. Anyone else has suggestions for me since this seems to be very common in athletes. I work out 6 days a week, doing a lot of cardio and a lot of sweating!

    Try slicing up some cucumbers and topping them with some salt & pepper - really yummy snack that is still quite good for you.
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
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    psuLemon wrote: »
    It's really not that hard. My wife needs 10,000mg of salt a day. She literally will salt bacon.

    Wow. Salting bacon just seems so.... wrong. I get it but wow. Just curious as to why her needs are so high (fully understanding it's none of my damn business).

  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,401 MFP Moderator
    edited March 2017
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    psuLemon wrote: »
    It's really not that hard. My wife needs 10,000mg of salt a day. She literally will salt bacon.

    Wow. Salting bacon just seems so.... wrong. I get it but wow. Just curious as to why her needs are so high (fully understanding it's none of my damn business).

    She has an autonomic disorder... it's called Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome... part of the condition comes with severe electrolyte imbalances caused by a rapid heart beat.

    She actually will salt all her food, even if salt is in the recipe.
  • NavajoGirl85
    NavajoGirl85 Posts: 164 Member
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    psuLemon wrote: »
    If your labs came back OK then your sodium level is not too low.

    She said that if my levels are low but not too low at the time of labs then it sometimes won't show. However, I told her that I felt the dizziness the day of the labs just like I felt after the labs so it didn't make sense to me. She said we will try to increase sodium and see if it helps.

    So the big question is, have you increased sodium?


    Also, labs show a point in time or a prolonged deficiency. They don't show daily modifications to electrolyte imbalances.

    I have increased my sodium. I was getting below 1500 mg a day and yesterday I got 2200. Still not what she wanted but I have to tell you that even though the scale isnt moving, water weight I'm assuming, I do feel better today. I'm also not getting as many dizzy spells. So even though it didn't show in tests I'm thinking I was just low on that due to getting high potassium and drinking too much water for the amount of sodium i was getting.
  • ronjsteele1
    ronjsteele1 Posts: 1,064 Member
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    psuLemon wrote: »
    It's really not that hard. My wife needs 10,000mg of salt a day. She literally will salt bacon.

    Wow. Salting bacon just seems so.... wrong.

    My son salts everything (bacon too). He even salts saltine crackers. If his food isn't sand colored from salt it's not salty enough. Needless to say, I don't ever let him cook our food. Lol!
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,401 MFP Moderator
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    psuLemon wrote: »
    It's really not that hard. My wife needs 10,000mg of salt a day. She literally will salt bacon.

    Wow. Salting bacon just seems so.... wrong.

    My son salts everything (bacon too). He even salts saltine crackers. If his food isn't sand colored from salt it's not salty enough. Needless to say, I don't ever let him cook our food. Lol!

    Pretty much what my wife does. The only time it wasnt required as much is during pregnancy. But that is because you double blood volume which prevents hers vains from collapsing and allows her hear to work at a normal range. In fact, pregnancy is the only time she is symptom free.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    Gastrolyte from the counter is good for getting the electrolytes up.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
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    There is about 2300 mg of sodium in a teaspoon of table salt. I tend to add a teaspoon of salt to a glass of water. I eat low carb so my electrolyte needs seem to be a bit higher. I also had postural hypotension so keeping salt up, and carbs low, seems to help a lot.

    Last time I was at the doctor it was 102/56. Keeping sodium up helps it not dip too much when I stand. If it gets below 90 and 50 I get dizzy.