How Sodium Works On The Body

Video: How Sodium Works On The Body

Video: How Sodium Works On The Body
Video: Water and Sodium Balance, Hypernatremia and Hyponatremia, Animation 2024, March
How Sodium Works On The Body
How Sodium Works On The Body
Anonim

Although salt is considered a major cause of high blood pressure, it plays an essential role in regulating blood pressure, regulating muscle and nerve function. For this reason, it is very important that the daily intake of sodium products be monitored and limited.

Sodium dissolves in the blood and plays a key role in maintaining blood pressure. In addition, it attracts and retains water and thus maintains the liquid component of the blood. However, if salt intake is above normal, fluid retention occurs, blood volume increases, blood vessels cannot dilate, and high blood pressure occurs. And as we all know, high blood pressure leads to a number of problems for the cardiovascular system.

Muscles and nerves, in turn, need electrical impulses to function properly. Their cells generate electric current by controlling the flow of electrically charged molecules, including sodium.

And since sodium is an integral part of proper nerve and muscle function, it's no surprise that changes in its levels, high or low, are important. Low sodium levels (hyponatremia) can cause muscle spasms, cramps, headaches, irritability, anxiety, nausea and fatigue.

Blood
Blood

More serious symptoms are confusion, hallucinations, decreased consciousness and coma. Hypernatremia (high levels of sodium) makes a person apathetic and restless, also causes muscle spasms and seizures.

The human body is designed to balance sodium levels so that the body does not feel these ailments. For example, at low values the kidneys, which are responsible for the sodium concentration, retain it, and at high values - excrete sodium in the urine.

Therefore, for people suffering from kidney disease, changing sodium levels are much more dangerous. The human body usually loses sodium through sweat, which is a common condition in hyponatremia in athletes.

According to the World Health Organization, the daily intake of salt in adults should not exceed 5-6 grams, which includes all the salt for the day - including ready meals. Everyone can reduce their salt intake, at least if they adjust the dose they add to their food, because it is important for your health.

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