Can you feel sick from not having enough salt? (blurred vision, cold, blood pressure)

[RunD1987]

Hi, so all last week drinking less water, having headaches, feeling dizzy, nauseous, blurred vision, lethargic, and irregular sleep. I am not a drinker, but Friday night went out had 2 habernero margaritas. The last time I had drinks was 4 month's ago. Long story short went to bed at 1 woke up at 7. Even though 6 1/2 hour's of sleep was the best sleep I ever had. Woke up energetic...went for 2 runs today, did shopping with the fiancée, did laundry, x cleaned the house, worked on my paper, walked the dog more then 3 times, and had cotise.

Also no naps today, normal appetite, extra thirsty, and no headaches today.

So I am wondering if the salt played any factor on my body feeling better today?

Any thought's?

[jaminhealth]

Salt Deficiency: the cause of many diseases: Crystal Salt Therapy

Salt probably helped...be aware and drink water and adequate salts. If you are a constant runner, you are losing salts, my guess.

[gouligann]

You can buy powdered electrolites to help keep the body hydrated. You mix it into water or juice or whatever, but yes, to answer your question you NEED a certain amount of salt for your body to stay healthy.

[Ottawa2011]

Low potassium can cause symptoms. Low sodium, I don't know.

[Hedgehog_Mom]

My dad has been hospitalized twice because of low sodium. The first time, he couldn't remember how to sit and he was unconscious by the time EMS arrived and didn't regain consciousness for probably 10 hours after he was at the hospital. The second time, my mom called EMS as soon as she noticed he was acting strange, and he was only in the hospital overnight.

In my dad's case, his low sodium is because of dementia and anti-psychotic meds. The meds cause increased thirst and the dementia makes him forget that he's already had enough water, so he will literally drink gallons of water in a single day if he's not watched carefully and access to liquids removed. When he drinks gallons of water, it basically washes the sodium out of his body, along with the other electrolytes.

[smarino]

I doubt that it was salt related. Most Americans get tons more salt than they need in their food. Not drinking enough water is a sure way to get sick. We need lots of water to flush the toxins from our bodies (which are mostly water anyway) and keep our cells working properly.

I've had instances like yours before too. Back when I used to have an unhealthy diet and lifestyle I would get bad colds several times a year. After some point I would tie one on, and feel much better the next day! Sort of a kill you or cure you sort of thing. I have no idea why that happened either, and I never did it unless it was a last resort. Nowadays, eating healthy and staying fit, I seldom if ever get sick. Getting out of cold weather climates helped too, as my body is not OK in those weather conditions under any circumstances.

[Miss Hepburn]

Um, low anything will cause symptoms.

And yes, low sodium is a huge thing since people are so
paranoid about it they cut it out too much.
If your electrolytes are off...have some chicken broth ...or even a boullion cube in hot water...if you feel instantly better...yup, it was a sodium imbalance...ya need
calc, mag, pot, and sodium to have things go back and forth thru your cell walls.
That's what I rem from A & P.... Anatomy and Phys.

[jaminhealth]

It's very true many have cut back on salt/sodium, I have. But I'm sure I get enough.
The FDA Recommended Sodium Intake | Healthy Eating | SF Gate

And on potassium many could be kinda deficient. RDA for potassium is 4700mg daily
for adults. I take extra potassium daily as many meds can pull potassium from the body.

[DT113876]

Maybe. Low sodium has those symptoms: nausea, dizziness, loss of thirst and appetite esp. . Since I do more things outside now in the Florida heat, I have started eating more salt. Salted peanuts, Gatorade, etc. It really does seem to help with the fatigue from the heat, and I have much better thirst when I sweat (before I'd have to actually remember to drink water in some cases because I hardly ever felt thirsty).


But, if you live indoors and hardly sweat you don't need a lot of salt and you are unlikely to be deficient eating the typical diet.

[Calvert Hall '62]

What is your blood sodium? Normal is 135-144. You might want to search this forum for articles on hyponatremia. There were several a few years ago. My sodium has recently been below 135, normally in the upper 120s-lower 130s. So far no symptoms. I attribute it to the blood pressure medicine Losartan, but the medicos aren't sure. We're keeping a close watch on it.


Also, review this:
Hyponatremia Medical Information