Does anybody know why I'm told to increase sodium intake ?
JamieCroyle
Posts: 109 Member
Hi mfp friends,
Does anybody know why I'm told to increase sodium intake ? I have a few answers . I thought I'd ask again. Is anybody here have the same problem ? I have been told mostly it's low blood pressure . Does anybody have any other answers ?
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Replies
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Who told you? Medical professionals? Sodium is a really important electrolyte. Why don't you want to increase it? It is tied to blood pressure.3
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Who told you? Sodium is an essential electrolyte and not getting enough is not a good thing.1
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told by your doctor or told by your internet friend? Are you getting an unusually high amount of potassium in your diet by chance?1
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My doctor told me that a few years ago because I had low blood pressure.1
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mrsnattybulking wrote: »told by your doctor or told by your internet friend? Are you getting an unusually high amount of potassium in your diet by chance?
I do eat alot banana's --- and ended up cutting out salt intake. Salty foods became my food addiction. What do you recomend I do> Do you know? Just asking I'm a bananaaholic0 -
I'd just use a little bit of iodized salt on foods that could use it. I like it on potatoes, but they are also high in potassium so maybe that is a helpful pairing?0
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JamieCroyle wrote: »mrsnattybulking wrote: »told by your doctor or told by your internet friend? Are you getting an unusually high amount of potassium in your diet by chance?
I do eat alot banana's --- and ended up cutting out salt intake. Salty foods became my food addiction. What do you recomend I do> Do you know? Just asking I'm a bananaaholic
Are you being told by a doctor?
If you are eating high potassium and not getting enough salt, your electrolytes are out of balance. Not enough sodium is a bad thing. If this is indeed coming from the doctor, eat more salty things...salt your food, etc...don't go out of your way to avoid it.4 -
cmriverside wrote: »Who told you? Medical professionals? Sodium is a really important electrolyte. Why don't you want to increase it? It is tied to blood pressure.
I'm a current ww member and I asked them. I just wanted to see if I'd get any other answers from everyone here? I did .
Thanks for the info .I appreciate it .0 -
If I recall, the smarty 'scientist' are now coming to find that the recommendation of 2300mg is actually too low, and the average adult needs ~3000mg.
Apparently, too little sodium can actually cause worse problems than too much.1 -
I'd be skeptical unless it's a doctor telling you you need more. (I don't usually worry about sodium, as I figure I get enough -- I don't eat a lot of ultra processed things, but use salt in cooking as it's good for intensifying flavor.)
Bananas have a weird reputation for being super high in potassium. They do have a decent amount, but so do many other foods, and I think potatoes actually have more per gram.2 -
JamieCroyle wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »Who told you? Medical professionals? Sodium is a really important electrolyte. Why don't you want to increase it? It is tied to blood pressure.
I'm a current ww member and I asked them. I just wanted to see if I'd get any other answers from everyone here? I did .
Thanks for the info .I appreciate it .
What do they know? What do we know? You haven't provided any kind of medical details or issues. If it were me and I was concerned, I wouldn't ask my WW peeps or MFP peeps...I seek the counsel of a physician to determine if there were any issues.8 -
I know why you might increase your sodium. Low sodium can give you a concussion.
Lol .. let me explain. A while back while aggressively losing weight, I was going low sodium. One day, I went to tie my shoes, stood up and promptly passed out and knocked my head off an oak floor. Wife said I got a solid 6 inch bounce off the floor.
Anyhow, after Doctors and cat scans and all kinds of fun, the final diagnosis was .. syncope due to sudden blood pressure drop, likely caused by low blood sodium. Now, I try to make gosh darned sure that I get +/-3000mg a day.
I noticed over the last couple day's I've been too low (like under 2000mg), and I've had a couple instances of going a little lightheaded if I get up too fast.
I cant find a link, but I've read some research that has said that high and low sodium diets can each cause their own unique problems, but if you;re in the 2500-3500 range you should be fine. I'll look for the links tonight.3 -
I know why you might increase your sodium. Low sodium can give you a concussion.
Lol .. let me explain. A while back while aggressively losing weight, I was going low sodium. One day, I went to tie my shoes, stood up and promptly passed out and knocked my head off an oak floor. Wife said I got a solid 6 inch bounce off the floor.
Anyhow, after Doctors and cat scans and all kinds of fun, the final diagnosis was .. syncope due to sudden blood pressure drop, likely caused by low blood sodium. Now, I try to make gosh darned sure that I get +/-3000mg a day.
I noticed over the last couple day's I've been too low (like under 2000mg), and I've had a couple instances of going a little lightheaded if I get up too fast.
I cant find a link, but I've read some research that has said that high and low sodium diets can each cause their own unique problems, but if you;re in the 2500-3500 range you should be fine. I'll look for the links tonight.
Thanks for your info0 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »JamieCroyle wrote: »mrsnattybulking wrote: »told by your doctor or told by your internet friend? Are you getting an unusually high amount of potassium in your diet by chance?
I do eat alot banana's --- and ended up cutting out salt intake. Salty foods became my food addiction. What do you recomend I do> Do you know? Just asking I'm a bananaaholic
Are you being told by a doctor?
If you are eating high potassium and not getting enough salt, your electrolytes are out of balance. Not enough sodium is a bad thing. If this is indeed coming from the doctor, eat more salty things...salt your food, etc...don't go out of your way to avoid it.
I was told by my dr's test results that they sent.0 -
Thanks to my mfp friends for all your help, support, and your suggestions. Thanks again Hope you have a good day.0
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If your doctor told you then I would listen to your doctor1
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I get told the same thing every time I get blood work done,I'm sure they're not saying to go overboard with salt but they defo tell me to increase it0
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JamieCroyle wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »Who told you? Medical professionals? Sodium is a really important electrolyte. Why don't you want to increase it? It is tied to blood pressure.
I'm a current ww member and I asked them. I just wanted to see if I'd get any other answers from everyone here? I did .
Thanks for the info .I appreciate it .
Go to your doctor and ask for an electrolyte panel. If it shows low numbers or an imbalance, follow their directions to fix it. If not, don't worry about it.
Do not follow random recommendations from WW members or people on the internet.4 -
A specific salt, unrefined, "sea salt" in small amounts should help. Also, include this intake in your macros / "vitamins" or something so that you can keep track of it. Also, get yourself educated on the triumvirate of essential electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium) which should be kept in balance and in a specific ratio. Gatorade is not the optimal way to do it. Some people "stack" their own by buying them separately (magnesium citrate / potassium citrate being the most available forms) when added to a good unrefined salt should do the trick and keep you balanced.0
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Over several decades of time, there were studies published showing a correlation (not causation) of high sodium intake to an increased risk of heart disease. These gained a lot of media attention.
Also over the same several decades of time, studies were published showing a correlation of low potassium intake to an increased risk of heart disease. These were not noticed by the media or general public.
In 2009, a study was published that found a correlation of a high Na:K intake and an increased risk of heart disease, though members of the study who consumed large amounts of both in the right ratio did NOT have an increased risk of heart disease. Low Na intake with a high Na:K ratio DID correlate to an increased risk of heart disease.
We already know about short term electrolyte issues... I had an issue a couple months ago where I could not even stand up on my own due to severe electrolyte imbalance (that was a much more complicated issue than most people would face, to be fair). It seems like the long term correlations show that if you consume a lot of K, then you should consume a lot of Na also. Because the standard western diet is heavily processed and low in potassium, the suggestion is usually to decrease sodium intake. In your case, that long term advice doesn't apply.1 -
It is now known that the old mantra of not exceeding 2300 mg of sodium (or 1 teaspoon of table salt) per day is not ideal for most people. Most need 3000-5000 mg per day for optimal health. The need for low salt in the average diet is now being recognized as a mistake.2
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Sodium is used throughout our bodies for many different things. It's not just about blood pressure. Too little sodium is much worse than too much!1
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A specific salt, unrefined, "sea salt" in small amounts should help. Also, include this intake in your macros / "vitamins" or something so that you can keep track of it. Also, get yourself educated on the triumvirate of essential electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium) which should be kept in balance and in a specific ratio. Gatorade is not the optimal way to do it. Some people "stack" their own by buying them separately (magnesium citrate / potassium citrate being the most available forms) when added to a good unrefined salt should do the trick and keep you balanced.
Sea salt has no advantages over regular table salt. The trace minerals in it are so minuscule that you need to eat 2 cups a day to get any benefit from it . . . and 2 cups of salt a day will kill you.
Some unprocessed sea salts DO have a little flavor and some have texture (my favorite is Malden flakes) that makes them a great seasoning. They just are not any healthier than any other salt.2 -
We also still have no reason to believe that OP has been advised to increase her salt by anyone reputable.0
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A specific salt, unrefined, "sea salt" in small amounts should help. Also, include this intake in your macros / "vitamins" or something so that you can keep track of it. Also, get yourself educated on the triumvirate of essential electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium) which should be kept in balance and in a specific ratio. Gatorade is not the optimal way to do it. Some people "stack" their own by buying them separately (magnesium citrate / potassium citrate being the most available forms) when added to a good unrefined salt should do the trick and keep you balanced.
salt is still salt. doesnt matter if its regular table salt or sea salt. the only difference is most table salt has iodine in it(not all do) and supposedly sea salt has more minerals but the jury is still out on that one0 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »We also still have no reason to believe that OP has been advised to increase her salt by anyone reputable.
FYI, since it was an easy post to miss:JamieCroyle wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »JamieCroyle wrote: »mrsnattybulking wrote: »told by your doctor or told by your internet friend? Are you getting an unusually high amount of potassium in your diet by chance?
I do eat alot banana's --- and ended up cutting out salt intake. Salty foods became my food addiction. What do you recomend I do> Do you know? Just asking I'm a bananaaholic
Are you being told by a doctor?
If you are eating high potassium and not getting enough salt, your electrolytes are out of balance. Not enough sodium is a bad thing. If this is indeed coming from the doctor, eat more salty things...salt your food, etc...don't go out of your way to avoid it.
I was told by my dr's test results that they sent.
So, reputable, but then the Dr ought to have a recommendation for how much of an increase is reasonable based on the results, yes? Are we talking add a pinch or two of salt per meal, or what?
Also, the Dr ought to be able to give a rationale for why. There shouldn't be a need to ask us.0 -
A specific salt, unrefined, "sea salt" in small amounts should help. Also, include this intake in your macros / "vitamins" or something so that you can keep track of it. Also, get yourself educated on the triumvirate of essential electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium) which should be kept in balance and in a specific ratio. Gatorade is not the optimal way to do it. Some people "stack" their own by buying them separately (magnesium citrate / potassium citrate being the most available forms) when added to a good unrefined salt should do the trick and keep you balanced.
Sea salt has no advantages over regular table salt. The trace minerals in it are so minuscule that you need to eat 2 cups a day to get any benefit from it . . . and 2 cups of salt a day will kill you.
Some unprocessed sea salts DO have a little flavor and some have texture (my favorite is Malden flakes) that makes them a great seasoning. They just are not any healthier than any other salt.
unless you buy non-iodized table salt, then sea salt is different because of the iodine in it - it has enough amounts in it that when I have to do low iodine for medical issues, I can't use sea salt at all0 -
deannalfisher wrote: »A specific salt, unrefined, "sea salt" in small amounts should help. Also, include this intake in your macros / "vitamins" or something so that you can keep track of it. Also, get yourself educated on the triumvirate of essential electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium) which should be kept in balance and in a specific ratio. Gatorade is not the optimal way to do it. Some people "stack" their own by buying them separately (magnesium citrate / potassium citrate being the most available forms) when added to a good unrefined salt should do the trick and keep you balanced.
Sea salt has no advantages over regular table salt. The trace minerals in it are so minuscule that you need to eat 2 cups a day to get any benefit from it . . . and 2 cups of salt a day will kill you.
Some unprocessed sea salts DO have a little flavor and some have texture (my favorite is Malden flakes) that makes them a great seasoning. They just are not any healthier than any other salt.
unless you buy non-iodized table salt, then sea salt is different because of the iodine in it - it has enough amounts in it that when I have to do low iodine for medical issues, I can't use sea salt at all
That is not true. The iodine in sea salt is negligible which is why you would need to eat 2 cups in order to get even close to the RDA of 150mcg. Same thing with the other trace minerals. You get more iodine from eggs than you do from sea salt.1 -
Is there any point in buying iodised salt? We have a choice here (Australia) between regular table salt and Iodised salt.
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Christine_72 wrote: »Is there any point in buying iodised salt? We have a choice here (Australia) between regular table salt and Iodised salt.
The point would be to avoid an iodine deficiency, which can cause thyroid problems. In the past this was such a serious problem that many countries have adopted laws or public health policies requiring or advising the addition of iodine to salt sold for human consumption, as an easy, cheap way to address a wide-scale public health problem.1
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