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Sodium enters the body through food and drink and leaves the body primarily in sweat and urine. Healthy kidneys maintain a consistent level of sodium in the body by adjusting the amount excreted in the urine.
Sodium is one of the body's most important electrolytes (minerals with an electric charge). Electrolytes regulate fluid and blood volume, support nerve function, maintain normal heart rhythm,...
Sodium and potassium are closely interconnected but have opposite effects in the body. Both are essential nutrients that play key roles in maintaining physiological balance, and both have been linked to the risk of chronic diseases, especially cardiovascular disease.
Sodium plays a key role in your body. It helps maintain normal blood pressure, supports the work of your nerves and muscles, and regulates your body's fluid balance. A normal blood sodium level is between 135 and 145 milliequivalents per liter (mEq/L).
The body needs only a small amount of sodium (less than 500 mg per day) to function properly. That’s a mere smidgen — the amount in less than 1/4 teaspoon. Very few people come close to eating less than that amount. Plus, healthy kidneys are great at retaining the sodium that your body needs.
Maintaining proper sodium levels in your blood is critical to health. Learn about the symptoms of low sodium, sodium blood tests, and normal sodium levels.
A diet high in sodium can increase your blood pressure and heighten your risk for heart disease and stroke, which are leading causes of death worldwide. What happens if you eat too much salt? A salt- and sodium-heavy diet makes you retain fluid, which can lead to swelling in the short term. Advertisement.
One of sodium’s main functions is to balance the amount and distribution of water in our bodies, playing a key role in the control of our blood pressure. Similar to chloride and potassium, sodium creates specific channels in the membranes of our cells which carry out different vital tasks.
A sodium (Na+) blood test is a standard medical test that checks sodium concentration in your blood. This test is important because having too high or too low a sodium concentration in your blood can cause serious medical problems. Various medical issues can affect your sodium blood levels.
Sodium is an electrolyte and essential mineral that helps regulate fluid balance, maintain blood pressure and support nerve and muscle function. However, regularly consuming too much sodium can lead to health problems such as high blood pressure, kidney damage and osteoporosis.