My sodium is far too low. Is this healthy?

curleesam
curleesam Posts: 462 Member
edited September 23 in Food and Nutrition
So I have read posts about having too much sodium in your diet but does anyone know if you are doing any damage by not having enough sodium in your diet? 9 times out of 10 I am waaaaaay under my daily goal and I am wondering what the pros and cons are? My diary is public so feel free to have a look.

Replies

  • Amandac6772
    Amandac6772 Posts: 1,311 Member
    #1 wish I had that problem #2 I think most doctors encourage a low sodium diet. I've known one person that ever had issues with low sodium but it was such a rare situation that doctors were amazed with her.
  • WhiteStar2351
    WhiteStar2351 Posts: 87
    Your body requires sodium for proper cell functioning, maintaining a healthy blood pressure, proper nerve function and muscle function (and contraction). Too much isn't good for you, however, too little is just as dangerous. If you don't have much sodium in your diet, add a little when you're cooking to ensure you don't miss out. The bare minimum your body requires is around 500mg - if you have less then that you risk some nasty/dangerous side effects!
  • Amandac6772
    Amandac6772 Posts: 1,311 Member
    I just checked your food diary. One word of caution is if you are using foods entered by other people they may not have entered them correctly. Some of the things on your list I know have sodium in them Check it out. You are probably getting more than you think.
  • soysos
    soysos Posts: 187 Member
    at those levels I would be concerned. having too little sodium in your diet is far more dangerous than having too much. the most immediate effect of a salt deficiency is dehydration, you feeling a mild anemia that steadily gets worse. eventually you get the dreaded d's, diarrhea, dementia, and death.
  • WhiteStar2351
    WhiteStar2351 Posts: 87
    I just checked your food diary. One word of caution is if you are using foods entered by other people they may not have entered them correctly. Some of the things on your list I know have sodium in them Check it out. You are probably getting more than you think.


    Agree with Amandac6772 - had a look at your diary and nearly all of those sodium values are wrong! For example, the Italian Tomato & Mascarpone Sauce has 250mg of sodium in it - but its listed as 0. The same with the oatcakes, each one has 100mg of sodium in it.

    Usually its a case of users not reading the data properly and instead of entering it as MG they enter Grams (i.e. 0.25g = 250mg but users enter 0.25mg which registers as a 0).

    Your sodium intake looks fine!
  • curleesam
    curleesam Posts: 462 Member
    I just checked your food diary. One word of caution is if you are using foods entered by other people they may not have entered them correctly. Some of the things on your list I know have sodium in them Check it out. You are probably getting more than you think.

    very good point!!! how do i know whether someone else on MFP has registered that food when i am logging?
  • curleesam
    curleesam Posts: 462 Member

    Agree with Amandac6772 - had a look at your diary and nearly all of those sodium values are wrong! For example, the Italian Tomato & Mascarpone Sauce has 250mg of sodium in it - but its listed as 0. The same with the oatcakes, each one has 100mg of sodium in it.

    Usually its a case of users not reading the data properly and instead of entering it as MG they enter Grams (i.e. 0.25g = 250mg but users enter 0.25mg which registers as a 0).

    Your sodium intake looks fine!

    Thanks! very reassuring :)
  • alantin
    alantin Posts: 621 Member
    I began worrying about my sodium at one point too.. The database here doesn't always contain all information about some things and my experience is that you can find sodium almost everywhere so no use worrying about it. In addition, the MFP goal is pretty high. I seem to recall that the recommendation here is about 1500 mg a day and that's what I'm using. I'm usually around there without trying. I cook my food myself and I never add salt to anything.

    If you still feel that you are getting too little, I would suggest adding, say 500 mg, to the water that you take to the gym, or start using some sports drink, on your exercise days. You lose minerals while sweating and sodium also helps your body absorb the water and hydrate after a good workout.
  • sabrads
    sabrads Posts: 152
    Hi,

    I have been checking a couple of the items in your diary - some of the processed food has sodium on the item but not in myfitnesspal.

    I wouldnt worry too much about it as you are probabily under the level but if you eat these things on a regular basis you can add in the full nutritional info.

    Regards,

    Steve
  • Summerscoming
    Summerscoming Posts: 35
    lolz if you had so little you're nerves stopped working, you would know about it! ie...you would be dead

    dont worry, low sodium is good, our body makes sodium for us, if our diet has zero sodium in it, we would still be ok. good ol' humaa bodies!
  • WhiteStar2351
    WhiteStar2351 Posts: 87
    lolz if you had so little you're nerves stopped working, you would know about it! ie...you would be dead

    dont worry, low sodium is good, our body makes sodium for us, if our diet has zero sodium in it, we would still be ok. good ol' humaa bodies!


    Rather worried by this one!! The body does NOT create sodium - if yours does you may have some extraterrestrial genes!! lol
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