Sodium Chloride

The Benefits of Sodium Chloride

First of all, most of the sodium chloride in your diet comes from actual table salt. While some foods contain salt, most do so in very limited quantities. This means you won’t get enough for your body solely from the foods that you eat.

Sodium chloride has some benefits for the human body. One major thing that sodium chloride provides is the ability for the body to balance negative and positive ions. This occurs in both the fluid and tissue in the body.

Having the right amount of salt in the body allows for muscle contractions to occur. It is for this reason that sports drinks with high levels of potassium are so important for athletes.

When you exercise heavily your body sweats and expends the salt that’s in the body. That salt must be replaced for the health of your muscles.

In addition to the muscles, salt also aids the adrenal glands and stimulates adrenaline product. This is a great benefit for athletes; sports drinks can help them endure a race or a competition because of the salt they contain.

An important benefit of sodium chloride is the fact that it ensures that minerals, such as calcium, to dissolve in the blood. These minerals can then be distributed and absorbed through the body.

Dangers Associated With Sodium Chloride

Virtually everybody knows that consuming too much salt can be dangerous. However, most people don’t realize just how much salt can affect the body, even if they are only consuming slight more than what the body needs.

In fact, the body is so sensitive to salt consumption that someone with high blood pressure can see positive results in the reduction of their blood pressure just days after reducing their salt intake. Conversely, the blood pressure can respond immediately a higher consumption of salt as well.

Long term consumption of high levels of sodium chloride can lead to a myriad of health problems. These problems include:

• Stroke
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Enlarged heart
• Water retention

Some studies also suggest that too much salt can lead to stomach cancer. However, these studies were conducted outside of the U.S.; so far this not supported by the FDA, the USDA or other food governing bodies.

There are also dangers to not getting enough salt. The most common side effects are seizures and more dire conditions can lead to coma. The good news is that a sodium chloride deficiency is rare.

If you are on a low salt diet, you need to watch your consumption of water. Drinking too much water while you’re on a low salt diet can lead to a deficiency.

Diarrhea is another symptom of salt deficiency and it is more common than seizures or comas. Typically, a salt deficiency is caused by an underlying problem, such as the kidneys not functioning properly.

You may also feel dizzy, have muscle cramps or even suffer from neurological problems if you have a salt deficiency. It is important to ensure that you are getting all of the salt your body needs.

Sodium Chloride Is In Your Diet

Here’s the thing, almost everything that you eat, with the exception of fresh foods and frozen veggies, contain salt already. Most people don’t realize just how much salt they are getting from the canned foods and preserved foods that they purchase at the grocery store.

Before you decide that you aren’t getting enough sodium chloride, you need to start monitoring everything that you eat and drink. You may be shocked at just how much salt you are actually consuming each day.

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