Is sodium -that- important?
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go52182
Posts: 133 Member
I've not really paid attention to that column but am wondering if anything would change with me, physically, if I make sure to get 2,300mg each day? I don't do a lot of cardio, mostly weights. Leg day is the only day I sweat a lot. I think if I don't add extra salt to my diet I'm usually between 1,000-1,500mg each day.
How many of you strive to reach your sodium goal each day?
How many of you strive to reach your sodium goal each day?
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Replies
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If your sodium is low, it can cause cramps. However, people with high blood pressure are often told 1500mg is the max. I think if you don't have a medical condition and are not experiencing cramps or other symptoms, just ignore the sodium.2
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Yeah, that's what I've been thinking. No cramps so I think I'm fine. Just wasn't sure if I could potentially be causing myself harm.0
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Too low sodium can also cause all sorts of other things, like confusion, thirst, etc. But it would need to get quite low. If you're sweating a lot and don't feel too well then eating enough sodium is important.0
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Yeah, that's what I've been thinking. No cramps so I think I'm fine. Just wasn't sure if I could potentially be causing myself harm.
Look into what nutrients are upper and lower limits. 2300 Mg of sodium is an upper limit recommendation, not necessarily a target to hit.
It's an important electrolyte though...you can have too much but you can also have too little...and ideally you would take into account your ratio of potassium to sodium because they kinda work together. Your activity also plays a roll in how much you require...I'm hypertensive but I'm also very active and sweat a lot cycling in the heat...if I eat the recommended amount for someone with hypertension, I get all kinds of cramps and other issues. I usually shoot pickle juice after a sweaty ride.1 -
HECK YES!!!!!!! Sodium is extremely important for the blood. "Hyponatremia is a condition characterized by low levels of sodium in the blood. Its symptoms are similar to those caused by dehydration, and in severe cases the brain may swell and lead to headaches, seizures, coma and even death" www.healthline.com2
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TheMrWobbly wrote: »HECK YES!!!!!!! Sodium is extremely important for the blood. "Hyponatremia is a condition characterized by low levels of sodium in the blood. Its symptoms are similar to those caused by dehydration, and in severe cases the brain may swell and lead to headaches, seizures, coma and even death" www.healthline.com
Is 1,000-1,500mg/day considered low?0 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »Yeah, that's what I've been thinking. No cramps so I think I'm fine. Just wasn't sure if I could potentially be causing myself harm.
Look into what nutrients are upper and lower limits. 2300 Mg of sodium is an upper limit recommendation, not necessarily a target to hit.
It's an important electrolyte though...you can have too much but you can also have too little...and ideally you would take into account your ratio of potassium to sodium because they kinda work together.
I don't think I get much potassium
I should add that column too! 0 -
I don't even look at sodium any longer. It is absolutely necessary for life. I eat about half a gram of pink salt each evening at bedtime. This seems to keep leg crams away.1
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cwolfman13 wrote: »Yeah, that's what I've been thinking. No cramps so I think I'm fine. Just wasn't sure if I could potentially be causing myself harm.
Look into what nutrients are upper and lower limits. 2300 Mg of sodium is an upper limit recommendation, not necessarily a target to hit.
It's an important electrolyte though...you can have too much but you can also have too little...and ideally you would take into account your ratio of potassium to sodium because they kinda work together.
I don't think I get much potassium I should add that column too!
Oh! I forgot the salt I use has added potassium! I guess I've been doing ok.
Morton - Lite Salt Mixture, 1 tsp (1.4 g) Sodium 1,160mg Potassium 1,400mg1 -
TheMrWobbly wrote: »HECK YES!!!!!!! Sodium is extremely important for the blood. "Hyponatremia is a condition characterized by low levels of sodium in the blood. Its symptoms are similar to those caused by dehydration, and in severe cases the brain may swell and lead to headaches, seizures, coma and even death" www.healthline.com
Is 1,000-1,500mg/day considered low?
Over a period of months, a consistent sodium intake of about 1,000-1,500 mg/day will lead to hyponatremia. It happened to me after about 6 months of deliberately trying to keep my sodium intake low.3 -
JeromeBarry1 wrote: »TheMrWobbly wrote: »HECK YES!!!!!!! Sodium is extremely important for the blood. "Hyponatremia is a condition characterized by low levels of sodium in the blood. Its symptoms are similar to those caused by dehydration, and in severe cases the brain may swell and lead to headaches, seizures, coma and even death" www.healthline.com
Is 1,000-1,500mg/day considered low?
Over a period of months, a consistent sodium intake of about 1,000-1,500 mg/day will lead to hyponatremia. It happened to me after about 6 months of deliberately trying to keep my sodium intake low.
To add, if you up your water intake, you would have been even more danger.1 -
I've been dehydrated after a race and have gotten paralyzing leg cramps, nausea, dizziness...but that was after running a half marathon in 80 degree weather. Still, it sure taught me the importance of hydration and salt! Not an everyday occurence for me. :-)0
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Running_and_Coffee wrote: »I've been dehydrated after a race and have gotten paralyzing leg cramps, nausea, dizziness...but that was after running a half marathon in 80 degree weather. Still, it sure taught me the importance of hydration and salt! Not an everyday occurence for me. :-)
Hehe wow that sounds intense!!1 -
L1zardQueen wrote: »JeromeBarry1 wrote: »TheMrWobbly wrote: »HECK YES!!!!!!! Sodium is extremely important for the blood. "Hyponatremia is a condition characterized by low levels of sodium in the blood. Its symptoms are similar to those caused by dehydration, and in severe cases the brain may swell and lead to headaches, seizures, coma and even death" www.healthline.com
Is 1,000-1,500mg/day considered low?
Over a period of months, a consistent sodium intake of about 1,000-1,500 mg/day will lead to hyponatremia. It happened to me after about 6 months of deliberately trying to keep my sodium intake low.
To add, if you up your water intake, you would have been even more danger.
I drink a heck of a lot of water. I guess it is important for me to hit close to that 2,300mg goal each day.1 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »Yeah, that's what I've been thinking. No cramps so I think I'm fine. Just wasn't sure if I could potentially be causing myself harm.
Look into what nutrients are upper and lower limits. 2300 Mg of sodium is an upper limit recommendation, not necessarily a target to hit.
It's an important electrolyte though...you can have too much but you can also have too little...and ideally you would take into account your ratio of potassium to sodium because they kinda work together.
I don't think I get much potassium I should add that column too!
Potassium is difficult to track since it is not required to be included in nutritional labels in the U.S. (it is considered a "voluntary nutrient"). Among the things I buy it is seldom included.3 -
TheMrWobbly wrote: »HECK YES!!!!!!! Sodium is extremely important for the blood. "Hyponatremia is a condition characterized by low levels of sodium in the blood. Its symptoms are similar to those caused by dehydration, and in severe cases the brain may swell and lead to headaches, seizures, coma and even death" www.healthline.com
Is 1,000-1,500mg/day considered low?
This depends on a wide variety of factors. I don't do an excessive amount of cardio, but I do cycle about 50 miles per week...1,000-1,500 mg would be very bad for me. It also depends on how many fluids you're taking in...if you drink a lot of water and other fluids, you flush sodium out so you need more to keep a proper balance of electrolytes. If you have a low or lower carbohydrate diet, you'll also need more.
Really, in an otherwise healthy person, it's not really necessary nor optimal to strive for a low sodium diet...even for people with hypertension like myself, it often makes little to no difference. I kind of think the low sodium diet will ultimately go the way of the low fat diet...no real benefit and can do more harm than good.3 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »This depends on a wide variety of factors. I don't do an excessive amount of cardio, but I do cycle about 50 miles per week...1,000-1,500 mg would be very bad for me. It also depends on how many fluids you're taking in...if you drink a lot of water and other fluids, you flush sodium out so you need more to keep a proper balance of electrolytes. If you have a low or lower carbohydrate diet, you'll also need more.
Really, in an otherwise healthy person, it's not really necessary nor optimal to strive for a low sodium diet...even for people with hypertension like myself, it often makes little to no difference. I kind of think the low sodium diet will ultimately go the way of the low fat diet...no real benefit and can do more harm than good.
With everything I've read here I think for me it may be best to make sure I add salt to my day. I don't have a problem adding some to a little bit of water and downing that. But I do think I should make it a priority.
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cwolfman13 wrote: »This depends on a wide variety of factors. I don't do an excessive amount of cardio, but I do cycle about 50 miles per week...1,000-1,500 mg would be very bad for me. It also depends on how many fluids you're taking in...if you drink a lot of water and other fluids, you flush sodium out so you need more to keep a proper balance of electrolytes. If you have a low or lower carbohydrate diet, you'll also need more.
Really, in an otherwise healthy person, it's not really necessary nor optimal to strive for a low sodium diet...even for people with hypertension like myself, it often makes little to no difference. I kind of think the low sodium diet will ultimately go the way of the low fat diet...no real benefit and can do more harm than good.
With everything I've read here I think for me it may be best to make sure I add salt to my day. I don't have a problem adding some to a little bit of water and downing that. But I do think I should make it a priority.
How long have you been at your current levels? Do you eat any processed food or go out to eat? I don't eat a ton of processed food, but most of the stuff I do eat like canned beans, canned tomatoes and tomato sauces, etc have sodium in them...eating out is a sodium bomb. Do you salt your homemade food?
It's quite possible that you don't need to do anything particular at all...I personally always found it a hard thing to track accurately.4 -
Most people get more than the recommended amount of salt in their diet, but it's not a big deal because the kidneys are extremely efficient at getting rid of extra sodium. Unless you have hypertension or another medical condition I wouldn't worry about limiting your sodium intake.
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6-8 grams of sodium a day crew right here!!1
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