Recommended daily sodium intake

The number of people who do not include salt in their diet is very small when compared to the number of people who use this ingredient in their everyday diet. The two main constituents of salt are sodium and chlorine. The sodium can be found mainly in table salt and processed foods. The everyday intake of sodium should be controlled since either low or high amounts of sodium are not good for the health of the person

Functions of sodium

The presence of sodium in the body is essential since it has several roles. First of all, it maintains the water balance in the body. Water is pushed into the cells by the means of sodium, while potassium pushes the waste out of the body cells. In this way, the water balance in the body is preserved. Secondly, it assists in transmission of the nerve impulses, and it also regulates the muscle contractions and relaxations.

Recommended daily sodium intake

The amount of sodium that should be taken daily depends on certain factors, such as the age of the person and his/her health condition. For example, the amount of 500 mg of sodium a day is considered to be the minimal amount of this substance, which is necessary for a proper functioning of the body. It is considered that a healthy adult should take around 2300 mg of sodium a day, however, it is recommended that people suffering from hypertension should limit their intake to 1500 mg of sodium daily.

High sodium levels

Consuming high amounts of sodium can lead to the elevation of the blood pressure. Once the blood pressure is increased, it can further lead to various heart problems or heart diseases, such as stroke or heart attack. Furthermore, even kidney failure may occur when one takes excessive amounts of sodium. The kidneys are the organs that regulate the amount of sodium. They save sodium when its amounts are low and expel it when it is high in amount.

Low sodium levels

Hyponatremia is the medical term for sodium deficiency. Sodium is very important for the body and low amounts of this substance are not good for the overall health of the body. Those people who sweat a great deal are at high risk to develop sodium insufficiency. More than serious consequences of this condition are seizures, coma and even death.