Are there any benefits of drinking water with salt? Breaking down the trend

December 25, 2025 •

4 min read

While some wellness trends promote drinking water with salt for enhanced hydration and other benefits, experts caution that most people already consume sufficient sodium through their regular diet. For the average individual, the potential risks of consuming excess salt, including high blood pressure and kidney strain, often outweigh the purported health advantages.

Quick Summary

This guide examines the claims surrounding the benefits of drinking water with salt, detailing who might see a benefit and the significant health risks of excessive intake.

Key Points

Limited Benefits: Drinking water with a small amount of salt can help athletes or heavy sweaters replenish electrolytes, but most people do not need it.
Significant Risks: Excessive salt water consumption leads to dangerous conditions such as high blood pressure, dehydration, and kidney strain.
Sole Water is Overhyped: Claims that sole water provides a high dose of minerals are largely unfounded, as the amount of trace minerals is negligible.
Whole Foods are Better: A balanced diet is a safer and more effective way to acquire essential minerals than relying on salt water.
Medical Consultation is Crucial: Individuals with pre-existing conditions like hypertension or kidney disease should avoid this practice and consult a doctor.
Moderation is Key: For those with specific needs, a very diluted solution (a pinch per liter) is the only safe approach, not a concentrated mix.
Dehydration Paradox: Highly concentrated salt water pulls fluid from your cells, paradoxically worsening dehydration.

What is the hype behind drinking salt water?

In recent years, drinking water with added salt has gained traction in wellness circles, often referred to as "sole water" when made with unrefined salts like Himalayan pink or Celtic sea salt. Proponents claim it can improve hydration, aid digestion, and supply the body with trace minerals lost through sweat. The theory rests on the role of sodium as a key electrolyte, which helps balance fluid levels in the body. Some advocates believe that mineral-rich salts offer superior benefits compared to standard table salt. However, the reality is more nuanced, and for most people, the practice is likely unnecessary and potentially harmful.

Potential benefits of drinking water with salt

For specific populations, adding a small, controlled amount of salt to water may offer some advantages. It is important to emphasize that these benefits apply to a very limited group and must be approached with caution and moderation.

Replenishing Electrolytes During Intense Exercise: Athletes or individuals exercising intensely for over 90 minutes in hot weather can lose significant sodium through sweat. In these situations, adding a pinch of salt to water can act as a cheap electrolyte drink, helping the body restore fluid balance and retain hydration more effectively than plain water.
Aiding Hydration for "Salty Sweaters": Some people are categorized as "salty sweaters" because they lose more sodium than others when perspiring. For these individuals, a small amount of salt can help their bodies absorb and retain water better.
Supporting Digestion: Sodium is essential for producing stomach acid (hydrochloric acid) and aids in the absorption of nutrients. A very small amount of salt water, particularly for those with low stomach acid, could potentially support better digestion.

Significant health risks of excessive salt water intake

While moderate intake may benefit a select few, the dangers of excessive salt water consumption are widely documented and can be severe. The average American already consumes more than the recommended daily amount of sodium, making additional salt in water for most people an unnecessary risk.

Exacerbated Dehydration: Drinking highly concentrated salt water, like seawater, does the opposite of hydrating. The body uses existing fluids to flush out the excess salt, leading to severe dehydration.
High Blood Pressure (Hypertension): Excess sodium intake is a primary cause of hypertension, which increases the risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. The extra fluid retained by the body to dilute the salt puts added strain on the heart and blood vessels.
Kidney Strain and Damage: The kidneys are responsible for regulating sodium balance in the body. Constant high salt intake forces the kidneys to work overtime, which can lead to kidney stones and, over time, kidney disease.
Digestive Upset: Consuming too much salt water can trigger nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea as the body tries to expel the excess sodium.

Comparison of moderate vs. excessive salt water consumption


Feature	Moderate, Controlled Intake	Excessive or Uncontrolled Intake
Application	Specific use cases like heavy exercise or specific health conditions (with medical advice).	Misguided attempt at general health improvement or quick fixes.
Concentration	Diluted: a pinch ($1/8 - 1/4$ tsp) per liter.	High concentration, often leading to a noticeably salty taste.
Effect on Hydration	Aids fluid absorption for specific needs.	Causes dehydration as body tries to excrete excess salt.
Electrolyte Balance	Restores sodium and other minerals lost through sweat.	Creates imbalance, with excessive sodium disrupting other electrolyte levels.
Blood Pressure	Potentially supportive for low blood pressure (under medical supervision).	Leads to increased blood pressure, a major health risk.
Gastrointestinal Impact	May support digestion in certain cases.	Causes severe digestive distress, including nausea and diarrhea.

Expert consensus: Moderation is key and whole foods are better

Health professionals emphasize that for the vast majority of people, adding salt to water is not necessary and can be dangerous. The sodium lost through normal daily activities is easily replenished through a balanced diet, which also provides other essential minerals in more significant amounts than any special salt. In fact, unrefined salts like Himalayan or Celtic salt contain negligible amounts of additional minerals, and one would have to consume dangerously high levels of salt water to derive any meaningful mineral benefits. The best and safest approach for hydration remains drinking sufficient plain water and ensuring a balanced intake of nutrients from whole foods. Always consult a doctor before starting any new dietary practice, especially if you have pre-existing health conditions like high blood pressure or kidney disease.

Conclusion

While the trend of drinking water with salt may promise enhanced health, the benefits are limited to specific circumstances and should be pursued only with extreme caution and professional medical guidance. For most people, a balanced diet provides sufficient electrolytes, and consuming excessive salt water poses serious risks, including dehydration, hypertension, and kidney damage. Instead of turning to unproven remedies, prioritize plain water for hydration and rely on a variety of whole foods to meet your mineral needs safely and effectively.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult with a healthcare professional before making any changes to your diet or health regimen.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, it is not safe for everyone. People with pre-existing conditions such as high blood pressure, kidney disease, or heart failure should avoid adding salt to their water. Most healthy individuals already consume sufficient sodium through their diet.

Sole water is a solution of water saturated with an unrefined salt, like Himalayan pink salt. Its purported benefits, including detoxification and hormone balancing, are largely anecdotal and not backed by robust scientific research.

For most people, plain water is the best for hydration. While athletes or heavy sweaters may benefit from a small amount of added salt to replace lost electrolytes, too much salt can cause the opposite effect, leading to dehydration.

For those who need it, such as during intense exercise, experts suggest adding a very small amount, around 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of salt per liter of water. However, this should only be done under specific circumstances, not as a daily habit.

Consuming too much salt water can have a laxative effect, stimulating bowel movements and potentially causing nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. This is often an attempt by the body to flush out the excessive sodium.

While unrefined salts like Himalayan pink or Celtic sea salt are often promoted, the mineral content difference compared to table salt is negligible in the small amounts used for drinking. For mineral intake, whole foods are a much better source.

In some cases, and only under the supervision of a doctor, moderate salt intake can be used to manage low blood pressure. However, this is not a self-prescribed remedy and can be dangerous if not monitored.