By Allison Fahrenbach | Published on October 1, 2017
You need it to exist and despite its bad rep, new evidence suggests too little sodium could be just as unhealthy…
Believe it or not, salt (or sodium chloride) is the single most essential mineral to human survival. It allows nerves to send and receive electrical impulses, helps your muscles stay strong, maintains blood pressure, keeps your cells and brain functioning optimally and helps regulate fluid balance. The chloride in salt also preserves acid-base balance in the body, aids in potassium absorption, improves the ability of the blood to move harmful carbon dioxide from tissues out to the lungs and, most importantly, supplies the crucial stomach acids needed in the break down and digestion of food.
Since sodium chloride is a nutrient the body does not produce naturally, it has to be consumed.
Revise your expectations
Although most people are aware a diet too high in sodium can cause health issues, one which is too low comes with its own host of negative impacts. The average American consumes about 3400mg of sodium per day which, according to the Centers for Disease Control, is too high. Their guidelines say sodium intake shouldn’t exceed 2300mg.
However, new research suggests 3400mg might not be as unhealthy as it was once thought. A 2014 study in the New England Journal of Medicine tested sodium consumption in more than 100,000 people in 17 countries. The healthiest range for sodium consumption was between 3000mg-6000mg a day, and their evidence concluded the harmful impacts of a high sodium diet (increased risk of death, cardiovascular disease, reduced bone strength and weakened kidney function) were only prominent when more than 6000mg was consumed.
What’s more, a diet lower than 3000mg resulted in an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and death. Low salt diets have also been associated with fatigue, lethargy and a decrease in athletic performance, likely due to the impact salt intake has on hydration and fluid balance regulation.
Are you getting enough?
A diet too low in sodium can also impair thyroid function. Because the level of salt consumption is so stable, it is an ideal medium to use for fortifying other essential nutrients. Iodised salt is used by about 75% of the world to protect against the results of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD), while iodine itself is an essential element in healthy human life, enabling the thyroid glands to produce the hormones for proper metabolism. When children in the womb don’t get enough iodine from their mother, their brain development can be impaired.
The balancing act
Restricting salt is also a concern when it comes to athletes, particularly those who train in hot climates, sweat a lot or compete in endurance sports, who commonly develop hyponatremia (low blood sodium), which leads to impaired performance and cognitive function. Therefore, it’s imperative athletes adequately replace salt lost through sweat.
It’s believed our bodies have a natural sodium appetite through which individual ideal salt intake is regulated. If you follow a whole foods-oriented diet and eliminate processed foods, chances are you do not need to worry about excess sodium. But what about it being too low? Take the following information into account:
High level
• Above 5500mg (2½ tsps) per day
Medium level (safest range)
From 2800 – 5500mg
(1¼ – 2 ½ tsps) per day
Low level
< 2800mg (1¼ tsp) sodium per day
Since there are significant health impacts of both high and low sodium diets, it’s a good idea to know how much sodium you consume daily
using these guidelines.
1. Measure a level teaspoon of salt and put it in the palm of your hand as a visual reference.
2. Track your intake for a few days to get a rough idea of what you currently consume. Sodium-tracking or macro-counting apps can help with this. If you’re not tech-oriented, The American Heart Association offers
a free, printable sodium log.
3. Minimise processed foods and eat fresh. Most foods contain natural sodium, but not in huge amounts. With fresh produce, you naturally consume less sodium, plus you get the benefits of dietary fibre and micronutrients.
Allison Fahrenbach is a natural pro figure athlete, trainer, nutritionist and owner of AFS Training.
