Can sodium intake be TOO low?

CatClark

Hi guys,

Quick question - can your sodium intake be TOO low? I know you need some in your diet, but I'm veggie, don't eat many processed foods, cook most things from scratch and very rarely add salt to anything (I use some veggie stock powder from time to time, but not much...)

I just added Sodium to my tracked nutrients and noticed that on many days I have over 2000 left! Is this bad

ShellyMacchi

to perform normally your body needs approx 500 mg sodium per day.. anything more than that is for 'taste' *S*

JennLifts

You do need it, yes, but I would think 500mg/day isn't going too low? It also depends on how much you exercise. The more you exercise the more you need..

learnbygoing

500mg is the minimum WITHOUT exercise. When you sweat you are also losing sodium, and your body does need some to function properly. Just be careful, and listen to your body

yeahfatty

dang i wish i had this problem..

nickiog

maybe try to drink coconut water...you can get the 100% kind and it has a lot of electrolytes and some sodium but isnt all processed and full of junk and its pretty low in cals.

CassieLEO

dang i wish i had this problem..

ME TOO!

CatClark

Thanks for the fast replies everyone!

I cycle to work most days (10 miles total each day - fairly easy going, nice flat ride along a canal) - but I am about to start the C25K so I'll keep an eye on things and try to up things if it feels like I might need to

TinaDay1114

I agree with the others -- you need some, so listen to your body. My blood pressure is naturally low, and the last time I was at the doctor for a check up, she actually said, "I can't believe I'm saying this, but go eat some salt." :} I'd been exercising more, and I think my resting BP was under 100... but I felt pretty OK. If you feel fine, keep doing what you're doing.

CatClark

maybe try to drink coconut water...you can get the 100% kind and it has a lot of electrolytes and some sodium but isnt all processed and full of junk and its pretty low in cals.

Thanks - I'll keep an eye out for this, heard loads of great things... I'm in the UK - fingers crossed I can find some

mytime60

Found a couple of things that suggest you can have adverse health effects.




Acute effects

Too much or too little salt in the diet can lead to muscle cramps, dizziness, or electrolyte disturbance, which can cause neurological problems, or death.[34] Drinking too much water, with insufficient salt intake, puts a person at risk of water intoxication (hyponatremia). Salt is sometimes used as a health aid, such as in treatment of dysautonomia.[35]

Death can occur by ingestion of large amounts of salt in a short time (about 1 g per kg of body weight).[36] Deaths have also resulted from attempted use of salt solutions as emetics, forced salt intake, and accidental confusion of salt with sugar in child food.[37]
u can get to low on your sodium.

Also check out this link which suggests that too little sodium can also cause cardiovascular disease.

http://www.foodnavigator.com/Science-Nutrition/Too-little-salt-may-pose-CVD-risk-suggests-study

foodforfuel

In the past, I was a salt-a-holic. Since I've started eating healthy, I track the sodium in my food and had completely eliminated adding table salt to anything. About a month ago, I started getting horrible cramps in my toes and feet just out of the blue. ( I am not a runner.) Did a little research, and found that I was probably not getting enough iodine from just food. So I started using table salt (with iodine) again, and I no longer get the crazy toe and foot cramps. But I still don't use an excessive amount, just lightly salt what I choose too.

slik1227

Sodium is a required nutrient. I don't the how low is to low number, but if you notice things like getting dizzy when you stand up, low b/p, weakness, lethargy you might want to have a blood test performed by your DR.

jujubean1992

dang i wish i had this problem..

ME TOO!

ME THREE!

I'm always WAY over, but my Dr told me many years ago that i need more sodium in my diet than others because i have extremely low blood pressure and that the sodium would bring it up and i won't collapse.

jujubean1992

I agree with the others -- you need some, so listen to your body. My blood pressure is naturally low, and the last time I was at the doctor for a check up, she actually said, "I can't believe I'm saying this, but go eat some salt." :} I'd been exercising more, and I think my resting BP was under 100... but I felt pretty OK. If you feel fine, keep doing what you're doing.

looks like our blood pressure is about the same.. lol. my pregnant blood pressure was on the low end of normal.

JulsDiane

Found a couple of things that suggest you can have adverse health effects.




Acute effects

Too much or too little salt in the diet can lead to muscle cramps, dizziness, or electrolyte disturbance, which can cause neurological problems, or death.[34] Drinking too much water, with insufficient salt intake, puts a person at risk of water intoxication (hyponatremia). Salt is sometimes used as a health aid, such as in treatment of dysautonomia.[35]

Death can occur by ingestion of large amounts of salt in a short time (about 1 g per kg of body weight).[36] Deaths have also resulted from attempted use of salt solutions as emetics, forced salt intake, and accidental confusion of salt with sugar in child food.[37]
u can get to low on your sodium.

Also check out this link which suggests that too little sodium can also cause cardiovascular disease.

http://www.foodnavigator.com/Science-Nutrition/Too-little-salt-may-pose-CVD-risk-suggests-study

Thanks for this; I had figured out just based on my body a few months back that I was getting dizzy because I was trying to limit sodium to 2500K plus drinking 12+ glasses of water but this confirms it for me.

janiepumphrey

For me, getting enough sodium is key to controlling my cravings.

I had a 1:10 sodium:potassium ratio - nowhere near enough sodium considering the amount of potassium I was eating. I had intense cravings for lightly salted meat - even though I was already eating almost a pound of unsalted meat per day.

I resisted the cravings stoically for a few weeks. But then I finally obeyed the craving and had three "screw it, I NEED to eat this" days in a row. On each of those days, I was 1000-1500 calories over my goal. But I didn't beat myself up about it because I noticed on the third day, on the Reports page, those days were the ONLY days where my sodium:potassium ratio was normal.

Now I'm adding some sea salt to my food here and there - just enough to get my sodium:potassium ratio close to 1:1.
Guess what - it fixed my calorie surplus. Now my average calories for the week are right at my goal!!

I had the same experience with iron deficiency, actually. Intense cravings for foods high in iron: chicken, mussels, ground cumin.

I'm very adamant about obeying my healthy food cravings EARLY after this experience - I think the body is really good at expressing which nutrients it needs through cravings.

CatClark

For me, getting enough sodium is key to controlling my cravings.

I had a 1:10 sodium:potassium ratio - nowhere near enough sodium considering the amount of potassium I was eating. I had intense cravings for lightly salted meat - even though I was already eating almost a pound of unsalted meat per day.

I resisted the cravings stoically for a few weeks. But then I finally obeyed the craving and had three "screw it, I NEED to eat this" days in a row. On each of those days, I was 1000-1500 calories over my goal. But I didn't beat myself up about it because I noticed on the third day, on the Reports page, those days were the ONLY days where my sodium:potassium ratio was normal.

Now I'm adding some sea salt to my food here and there - just enough to get my sodium:potassium ratio close to 1:1.
Guess what - it fixed my calorie surplus. Now my average calories for the week are right at my goal!!

I had the same experience with iron deficiency, actually. Intense cravings for foods high in iron: chicken, mussels, ground cumin.

I'm very adamant about obeying my healthy food cravings EARLY after this experience - I think the body is really good at expressing which nutrients it needs through cravings.

Really interesting to hear this - thanks so much!

HollyTsiaussis

You only need about 500 milligrams of sodium per day. Shoot for that amount, and you'll be fine! Maybe sprinkle some parmesan cheese on sauteed veggies. That could add some sodium.

susanswan

to perform normally your body needs approx 500 mg sodium per day.. anything more than that is for 'taste' *S*

Thanks, Shelly I didn't know that! All I know is that the latest 'recommendation" was to eat no more than 1500 mg per day. You have to REALLY work at not eating processed food. I found that tomato products were my worst offendors and canned beans. I cook most of my own stuff, too. IT's surprising how much salt is in things that you wouldn't even consider when you do track!