Hi, Do you want to know about sodium? In this blog, you will know everything you need to know about sodium (macro-mineral). Let's start and absorb this amazing information.
Sodium: It is one of the Macrominerals that our body needs in a relatively large amount. It carries an electrical charge and known as electrolytes.
Functions:
It is an essential nutrient that is involved in the following important functions of the body:
- Maintains normal homeostasis of the body.
- Regulation of fluid.
- Maintain electrolyte balance.
- Regulates Blood Pressure and blood volume.
- Maintains osmotic pressure.
- Sodium play a key role in normal nerve and muscle function.
Sodium Metabolism;
1- Digestive absorption:
The digestive absorption of sodium is quick and almost
complete.
2- Tissue Distribution:
- In Blood: there is only a little amount of sodium in the blood cells. The almost total amount of sodium is present in blood plasma.
- In Tissue: Cells contain little amount of sodium but they are rich in potassium. A large amount of sodium is present in Bones.
- Elimination: The elimination of sodium is mainly urinary. Sweat, tears contain sodium but eliminates a very small part of them.
Food Sources: There are two sources of sodium intake:
- Discretionary (from salt)
- Non-discretionary (the sodium naturally present in foods and that added during the industrial food transformation).
The main sources of sodium are bread, sausages, and soup.
The most common form of sodium is sodium chloride table salt.
Sodium present in everyday food:
Bread and rolls, cold cuts and cured meats, pizza, poultry, soups, sandwiches, cheese, pasta dishes, meat dishes, and snakes.
Deficiency of sodium: deficiency of sodium does not occur even under
normal circumstances even a person is taking food with a low level of sodium in
diet. In contrast, excess amount of sodium intake is common to most populations
worldwide.
Only in a pathological condition, a true sodium (and water) depletion can
occur.
Server conditions such as adrenal insufficiency, sodium-losing kidney disease, chronic diarrhea, uncontrollable vomiting, extensive burns, extreme and prolonged sweating, diabetic ketoacidosis, excessive intake of diuretics, or continuous gastric suction occurs.
Toxicity of sodium: If a person intakes an excess amount of sodium, the toxicity of sodium occurs. Acute toxicity of sodium intake with
possibilities of fatal outcome has been reported in relation to ingestion of a huge amount of sodium. In certain pathological conditions, Heart failure, renal
failure, compensated liver cirrhosis.
How much daily sodium intake is required for a healthy life?
For a normal person, sodium intake recommended for a healthy life is 8 to
10 grams per day. A person affected by heart disease and kidney failure
should intake only 2 to 5 grams per day. Salt wastes are excreted through sweat
and urine.
Recent research:
Recently, experimental and clinical studies have shown the major effects of sodium intake on endothelial function and potentially important interaction between sodium intake and the immune system.
Diseases related to sodium intake:
- Cardiovascular disease
- Nephrolithiasis
- Hypertension
- Gastric cancer
- Osteoporosis
Conclusions: Sodium is essential for our body and it is almost present in all foods we eat on a daily basis. But the most important thing we need to know about the intake of food is that we need to eat everything but in a balanced way. Sodium plays a vital role in osmotic pressure, electrolyte balance and maintains homeostasis in our body.
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