How do I raise my salt levels? A guide to safely increasing sodium levels under medical supervision

October 27, 2025 •

4 min read

Hyponatremia, a condition of low blood sodium, is a common electrolyte imbalance, especially among hospitalized and older adults. For those dealing with this issue, the question arises: How do I raise my salt levels? The answer requires a medically supervised approach, combining diet, fluid management, and addressing the root cause.

Quick Summary

This article explores the causes of low sodium (hyponatremia), explains its symptoms, and outlines the medically guided dietary and fluid adjustments necessary for safe and effective management, emphasizing the need for professional medical advice.

Key Points

Medical Consultation Is Essential: Always consult a doctor for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan before attempting to increase your salt levels.
Understand the Cause: Hyponatremia can result from various conditions, and treatment depends on whether the issue is excess water, sodium loss, or an underlying medical problem.
Focus on Dietary Adjustments: Incorporate naturally high-sodium foods like broths, pickles, and some cheeses, but be mindful of portion sizes.
Manage Fluid Intake Appropriately: Depending on the cause, you may need to either restrict water intake or ensure adequate electrolyte replacement with sports drinks or broth.
Recognize and React to Symptoms: Mild symptoms include nausea and headaches, while severe symptoms like confusion or seizures require immediate medical attention.
Avoid Rapid Correction: Increasing sodium levels too quickly is dangerous and can cause severe neurological damage; treatment should be gradual and monitored.

Most of the general population is advised to limit sodium intake to protect against high blood pressure and heart disease. However, for individuals with the medical condition known as hyponatremia—a low level of sodium in the blood—a different approach is necessary. This guide explains the causes and symptoms of hyponatremia and outlines the medically supervised strategies required to safely and effectively increase sodium levels. It's crucial to understand that self-treating hyponatremia is dangerous and should only be undertaken with professional medical guidance.

Understanding Low Sodium (Hyponatremia): Causes and Symptoms

What Is Hyponatremia?

Sodium is a vital electrolyte that helps regulate the body's fluid balance, maintain blood pressure, and ensure proper nerve and muscle function. Hyponatremia is officially diagnosed when blood sodium concentrations fall below 135 mEq/L. The issue can arise from too much water relative to the body's sodium content (dilutional hyponatremia) or from excessive sodium loss. When sodium levels drop, water can move into cells, causing them to swell. This is particularly dangerous for brain cells and can lead to serious neurological complications.

Common Causes

A variety of conditions and factors can lead to hyponatremia, including:

Certain Medical Conditions: Congestive heart failure, kidney disease, liver cirrhosis, and hypothyroidism can all cause fluid retention that dilutes sodium levels.
Medications: Diuretics (water pills), some antidepressants, and certain pain medicines can interfere with kidney function and sodium balance.
Excessive Sweating: During high-intensity, long-duration activities like marathons, significant sodium can be lost through sweat. Drinking only water to rehydrate can dilute the remaining sodium.
Fluid Loss: Severe vomiting or diarrhea can cause the body to lose both fluid and electrolytes, including sodium.
Syndrome of Inappropriate Antidiuretic Hormone (SIADH): This condition causes the body to retain too much water, leading to diluted sodium levels.
Hormonal Changes: Conditions like Addison's disease can affect the adrenal glands' ability to regulate sodium.

Recognizing the Signs

Symptoms of hyponatremia can range in severity. It is vital to recognize these signs and seek medical help, especially if they appear suddenly:

Mild symptoms: Nausea, vomiting, headaches, fatigue, and muscle cramps or weakness.
Severe symptoms: Confusion, irritability, restlessness, seizures, and in the most extreme cases, coma.

Medically Guided Strategies to Raise Salt Levels

Increasing your salt intake should always be guided by a doctor who can determine the correct approach based on the specific cause and severity of your hyponatremia. The strategies below are for informational purposes only.

Dietary Adjustments

For mild to moderate cases, or as part of a long-term plan, a physician may recommend increasing dietary sodium. High-sodium foods can be incorporated carefully into meals.

Examples of high-sodium foods and drinks:

Canned products: Canned fish (tuna, sardines), canned soups, and vegetable juices contain significant added sodium.
Processed meats: Deli meats, cold cuts, bacon, and cured meats are high in sodium.
Pickled and fermented foods: Pickles, olives, and sauerkraut are preserved in brine and are excellent sources of sodium.
Cheese: Processed and aged cheeses can have high sodium content.
Salty snacks: Salted nuts, pretzels, and chips are a quick way to increase sodium.
Broth: Bouillon cubes and powdered broths are very high in sodium and can be sipped as a warm drink.

The Importance of Fluid Management

For hyponatremia caused by water intoxication or fluid retention, restricting fluid intake is a critical step. For fluid loss due to diarrhea, vomiting, or excessive sweating, replacing electrolytes with sports drinks or broth is more beneficial than just drinking plain water, which could worsen dilution. Your doctor will determine the appropriate fluid and electrolyte balance for your specific situation.

Medical Intervention

In more severe cases of hyponatremia, particularly those with serious symptoms, immediate medical treatment is necessary.

Intravenous (IV) Fluids: Doctors may administer a hypertonic saline solution intravenously to increase blood sodium levels quickly and safely.
Medication Adjustments: If hyponatremia is caused by medication, a doctor may reduce the dose or switch to an alternative.
Salt Tablets: For chronic, mild hyponatremia, a doctor might prescribe salt tablets, but this should only be done under strict medical supervision due to potential risks.

Comparison of Dietary Strategies


Feature	Increasing via Processed Foods	Increasing via Whole Foods & Added Salt
Convenience	High. Canned soups, deli meats, and frozen dinners are ready-made or easy to prepare.	Lower. Requires conscious food preparation and adding salt/sodium-rich ingredients.
Nutrient Balance	Low. Often high in saturated fats and additives, low in potassium.	High. Fresh foods provide natural potassium and other essential nutrients, balancing sodium's effects.
Flavor	Consistent, but often bland or overly salty. Taste buds may be desensitized.	Variable. Allows for greater control and appreciation of natural food flavors as taste buds adapt.
Control	Low. Hidden sodium amounts can be hard to track, even with food labels.	High. You control exactly how much salt is added during cooking and at the table.
Health Impact	Associated with increased risks of high blood pressure, heart disease, and other chronic illnesses.	Generally healthier, especially when paired with potassium-rich fruits and vegetables.

Conclusion: Working with Your Healthcare Provider

If you have been diagnosed with hyponatremia, it's vital to follow a doctor's specific instructions. They will develop a personalized treatment plan based on the underlying cause, severity, and duration of your condition. While adjusting your diet can play a role in managing low sodium, it is a medical issue that should never be self-treated. Work closely with your healthcare provider to ensure safe and effective management and prevent dangerous complications.

For more detailed information, consult authoritative sources on hyponatremia management, such as the Mayo Clinic's guide on hyponatremia.

Frequently Asked Questions

The safest way is under a doctor's supervision. They can determine the underlying cause and recommend a balanced approach, which may involve dietary changes, fluid management, or medical intervention like salt tablets or IV fluids if necessary.

Sodium-rich food options include broths, soups, pickled vegetables, olives, salted nuts, cheeses, and processed meats. For a healthier approach, focus on adding salt to whole foods during preparation rather than relying on processed items.

Salt tablets may be used for managing chronic, mild hyponatremia, but only as prescribed and monitored by a doctor. Incorrect use or excessive intake can be dangerous and cause complications.

In cases of dilutional hyponatremia, drinking excessive plain water can worsen the condition by further diluting sodium. Conversely, replacing fluid and electrolytes lost through vomiting, diarrhea, or heavy sweating is crucial.

Rapidly increasing sodium levels can lead to a serious neurological condition called osmotic demyelination syndrome, which can cause severe and potentially permanent brain damage.

Severe symptoms like sudden confusion, seizures, or loss of consciousness are a medical emergency and require immediate care. Contact your healthcare provider or seek emergency services right away.

Low sodium isn't always caused by a lack of dietary salt. Medical conditions like heart, kidney, or liver disease, certain medications, or hormonal imbalances can be the root cause. A doctor will need to perform tests to determine the underlying issue.

For those needing to increase sodium, relying on natural whole foods with added salt is generally healthier. Processed foods, while high in sodium, often lack other nutrients and contain unhealthy fats and additives.