Salt Deficiency in the Blood?

With the blood test report in hand, the doctor is often heard to say that the patient’s blood salt has decreased! Now you have to fill the salt with saline. Where does salt come from in the body, how much is there and why is it reduced? What is the loss or reduction?

The blood or fluid in our body is actually salty. That means it has more sodium. The amount of sodium in the extracellular fluid is 135 to 145 millimoles per liter. And this sodium plays an important role in maintaining the balance of body fluids, in the functioning of nerve-blood vessels and in controlling blood pressure.

Why is salt reduced?

If for some reason fluid comes out of the body, the salt-water in the blood can all be reduced. For example, if you vomit or have a thin stool, if you sweat a lot, or if you take salt-water medicine. Again, if for some reason excess fluid accumulates in the body, the concentration of salt decreases and there is danger. Problems with the kidneys, heart or liver cause the body to not be able to properly drain water, causing the body to accumulate water and reduce the concentration of salt. Salt can be depleted due to traumatic brain injury, infection, tumor or stroke, but there is a problem with the secretion of ADH, the hormone that balances fluid and salt from the brain.

What happens when salt is reduced?

Sodium plays an important role in maintaining the body’s blood pressure, fluid balance, nerve and brain function. So when the sodium level in the blood suddenly drops, the balance of fluid in the brain is disturbed. This can lead to headaches, weakness, drowsiness, loss of consciousness, incontinence, and even convulsions. The patient may become unconscious or go into a coma.

What can be done?

The name of the test that doctors do to understand the ratio of salt in the blood is serum electrolytes. If there is a problem with this, the normal amount of salt is gradually brought back with prudence. Changing the amount of salt too quickly can lead to brain damage and the patient may even become permanently disabled. Therefore, the amount of saline to be taken for how long should be left to the experienced doctor.

Did you know that you have five different taste receptors?

They are salty, sweet, bitter, sour and umami. Those first two are the ones that can cause health concerns. Salty and sweet cravings can be easily triggered. For example, when you eat foods with added salt, you will crave more salt.

Sodium is a mineral that is found in many types of food, but most often in salt as sodium chloride. A low sodium diet has numerous health benefits. The American Heart Association recommends that you consume only 1,500 mg of sodium per day. Foods with added sodium will often be:

• Fast food
• Convenience or packaged foods
• Frozen meals
• Snack foods

Foods with added salt put you at a higher risk for high blood pressure and heart disease. –Salt Deficiency

20 Health Benefits of a Low Sodium Diet– Salt Deficiency

High blood pressure is when the pressure of your blood against the walls of your arteries is too strong. This can lead to serious health problems. Reducing the amount of sodium in your diet can:

1. Lower your blood pressure. The amount of fluid in your blood decreases, which leads to lower blood pressure.
2. Reduce your risk of a heart attack. By managing high blood pressure, you relieve the pressure and potential damage to your heart. This reduces your chance of a heart attack.
3. Lower your LDL cholesterol. High blood pressure is one of the factors in metabolic syndrome. This includes having a high cholesterol reading. Packaged foods high in sodium tend to be high in cholesterol as well.
4. Prevent congestive heart failure. When your heart must pump harder to push your blood through your blood vessels it can lead to heart failure.
5. Decrease your risk of kidney damage. Your blood vessels in the kidneys can become weakened and narrowed. This can cause kidney failure.
6. Prevent your chance of stroke. The decreased blood flow to your brain can put you at an increased risk for a stroke.
7. Lessen the chance of a brain aneurysm. When your blood pressure remains high it can cause the blood vessels in your brain to weaken. You can experience a brain bleed with life-threatening consequences.
8. Protect your vision. Who knew you could really protect your vision with carrots? High blood pressure in the vessels in your eyes can lead to torn blood vessels and vision loss so incorporate more natural, low-salt foods like carrots.
9. Reduce your risk of diabetes. A diet that is high in packaged or convenience foods will increase your chance of having diabetes.
10. Improve your memory. Your ability to think and to build memories are related to the health of your brain. High blood pressure can affect the blood flow to your brain.
11. Lower your risk of dementia. Vascular dementia is a type of dementia-related to slowed blood flow to the brain.
12. Reduce the hardening and thickening of your arteries. Continual high blood pressure will cause the walls of your arteries to become thicker and harder. It is more difficult for blood to move through stiff vessels.
13. Reduce bloating and swelling. A diet high in sodium causes your body to retain fluid. You will notice reduced bloating and swelling when you cut back on your sodium intake.
14. Reduce the amount you drink. Salty foods will make you thirsty and dehydrated. Often, we will reach for high-calorie drinks like soda or alcohol to quench that thirst. By reducing the amount of sodium, you will have less of an urge for these unhealthy drinks.
15. Curb your salt cravings. Your taste buds adapt to the increased level of saltiness. When you reduce the amount of sodium in your diet, you can decrease your salt cravings.
16. Decrease your risk for headaches. A meal high in salt can cause the blood vessels in your brain to expand. These pounding blood vessels can be the culprit behind your latest painful headache.
17. Build stronger bones. Calcium is important for strong bones and to prevent osteoporosis. A high sodium diet can lead to weak bones with the loss of calcium.
18. Reduce the chance of kidney stones.  A high salt diet increases the amount of calcium your kidneys must process.
19. Allow your heart to pump effectively. When your heart works overly hard to pump blood, the heart muscle can become thick. High blood pressure caused by high sodium puts stress on your heart walls. It can be like squeezing a full water balloon. It takes more force the fuller the balloon is. The heart can pump more easily when your blood pressure is at an ideal level.
20. Lower your risk of stomach cancer. This bacteria can live in your stomach. The H. pylori bacteria thrives on high salt content. The bacteria is a major risk factor for stomach cancer. –Salt Deficiency