What Excessive Salt Intake Can Cause To Your Body? Know The Answer Here!

Salt is a common ingredient in our daily diet and is often praised for enhancing flavour. However, excessive salt intake can cause serious health problems. Understanding these risks is essential to maintaining your health and wellness. This blog will discuss the functions of sodium in your body and what excessive salt intake can cause to your body so that you can make informed dietary choices. Keep reading!

Table Of Contents

1. What Does Sodium Do To Your Body?

2. What Excessive Salt Intake Can Cause?

3. The Final Say

4. FAQs

5. References

What Does Sodium Do To Your Body?

Let’s first have a look at what does sodium do to your body: 

1. Fluid Balance

Sodium moves fluid in and out of cells, maintaining fluid balance essential for blood volume and pressure.

2. Nerve Function

Sodium is necessary for the nervous system's functioning. It helps transmit nerve impulses by creating electrical gradients in cell membranes required for muscle contraction and nerve signalling.

3. Muscle Function

Sodium plays a vital role in muscle growth. It works with other electrolytes, such as potassium and calcium, to keep muscles contracted and relaxed. This includes both voluntary muscles (like the arms and legs) and involuntary muscles (like the chest).

4. Electrolyte Balance

Sodium is the primary electrolyte in the body and is essential in maintaining the balance of other electrolytes, such as potassium and chloride. This balance is necessary for the functioning of cells and organs.

Also Read: Discover 11 Low-Sodium Diet Foods For Weight And Blood Pressure Management

What Excessive Salt Intake Can Cause?

Here is what excessive salt intake can cause:

1. Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)

Excessive salt consumption can raise blood pressure and cause hypertension. When exposed to sodium, the body retains water, which raises blood pressure and blood volume. In addition to causing blood vessel damage, high blood pressure impacts the heart, causing heart attacks and strokes.

2. Cardiovascular Diseases

An important risk factor for heart disease, which includes heart attacks and strokes, is a high-salt diet. It results in atherosclerosis, or the hardening and thickening of the arteries, resulting in blood flow obstruction.

3. Kidney Damage

The kidneys filter excess sodium from the body. Consuming too much sodium can cause the kidneys to overwork and lead to kidney disease or problems. Excessive salt intake can also lead to kidney stone formation.

4. Osteoporosis

Excessive salt intake can cause the body to lose calcium through urine, weakening bones and increasing the risk of osteoporosis. These conditions cause bones to break more quickly, leading to fractures.

5. Stomach Cancer

There is an association between high sodium intake and stomach cancer risk. These risk factors include chronic irritation of the stomach lining and potentially promoting H. pylori infection, a bacteria that can contribute to ulcers and potentially stomach cancer.

6. Other Health Issues

Too much sodium can cause fluid retention, leading to bloating and weight gain. It can also increase the amount of fluid in the body, causing severe diseases such as heart failure and liver disease.

Also Read: Low Sodium Diet Plan: Health Benefits, Tips, and Side Effects Of No Salt Diet

The Final Say

Although sodium is essential for many body functions, it is crucial to keep it balanced. The recommended daily sodium consumption for most adults is less than 2,300 milligrams; 1,500 milligrams is ideal for people with high blood pressure or at risk of heart disease. Reducing your intake of processed foods (which often contain sodium) and focusing on a diet filled with fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can help you control sodium levels. By tracking your sodium intake, you can help support your overall health and prevent the adverse effects of consuming too much sodium.

FAQs

1. How can I lower my sodium intake?

Eat fewer processed foods and try to cook with less salt and more spices and herbs to enhance flavour and limit your sodium intake.

2. How much is the daily requirement of salt?

The daily requirement for adults is 2300mg, and for people with High blood pressure, it is 1500mg. However, adults should also consume up to 2000mg in a day.

References

• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35058650/

• https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/salt-reduction

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