How to make sure you get enough sodium?

December 15, 2025 •

3 min read

While most health recommendations focus on reducing salt, a recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that excessively low sodium levels could also pose health risks. It is crucial to strike a healthy balance and understand how to make sure you get enough sodium for proper bodily function.

Quick Summary

Maintaining adequate sodium is essential for fluid balance, nerve function, and muscles. Certain individuals, such as endurance athletes and those on specific diets, are at a higher risk of deficiency. Identify the symptoms and learn which foods and strategies can help you maintain a healthy sodium level.

Key Points

Check Your Risk Profile: Recognize if you are an endurance athlete, on a low-sodium diet, or have a health condition that could increase your risk for hyponatremia.
Watch for Symptoms: Pay attention to signs of low sodium, such as headaches, fatigue, muscle cramps, and confusion.
Strategize with Food: Incorporate naturally sodium-rich foods like fermented items, salted nuts, and broths into your diet, especially after intense activity.
Salt Your Homemade Meals: Seasoning your own meals with quality sea salt allows for better control over your intake compared to relying on processed foods.
Consider Electrolyte Drinks: For prolonged or intense exercise, electrolyte-enhanced sports drinks are more effective at replacing lost sodium than plain water alone.
Listen to Your Body: Your body will often signal an imbalance. If you crave salt or feel persistently fatigued, it may be a sign to adjust your intake.

The Importance of Sodium for Your Health

Sodium, an essential electrolyte, is critical for numerous bodily processes. It helps regulate fluid balance, supports proper nerve impulses, and enables muscle contractions. Without enough sodium, your body's systems can't function correctly, leading to a condition called hyponatremia, or dangerously low blood sodium. While the average person in many countries consumes more than enough sodium, certain individuals may need to be more mindful of their intake to prevent a deficit. This includes dedicated endurance athletes who lose significant amounts of sodium through sweat and those following a very strict, whole-foods diet that naturally contains low levels of the mineral.

Who is at Risk for Low Sodium?

Several factors can put an individual at risk for low sodium levels. Understanding these risk factors is the first step toward ensuring adequate intake. While a balanced diet typically provides sufficient sodium, it is not guaranteed for everyone.

Factors Contributing to Low Sodium

Intense and Prolonged Exercise: Endurance athletes, especially in hot conditions, can lose a significant amount of sodium through sweat. Replacing fluids with plain water without electrolytes can dilute blood sodium, leading to hyponatremia.
Low-Sodium Diets: People following restrictive low-salt diets, often consisting of primarily unprocessed foods, may unintentionally consume too little sodium.
Certain Medications: Some diuretics ('water pills'), antidepressants, and pain medications can interfere with the body's processes for regulating sodium levels.
Underlying Health Conditions: Kidney disease, congestive heart failure, and liver cirrhosis can cause fluid retention, which dilutes sodium concentrations in the blood.
Excessive Water Consumption: Drinking large amounts of plain water, especially during endurance events, can overwhelm the kidneys and lead to a dangerous dilution of blood sodium.

Recognizing the Signs of Sodium Deficiency

Low sodium can present with a range of symptoms, from mild to severe. Recognizing these signs early is crucial for prevention and timely treatment.

Common Symptoms of Hyponatremia

Nausea and vomiting
Headaches
Loss of energy and fatigue
Confusion, restlessness, or irritability
Muscle weakness, cramps, or spasms

Safe Ways to Increase Your Sodium Intake

For those who need to increase their sodium levels, adding more salt to your meals is the most straightforward approach. However, focusing on whole food sources and being mindful of intake is important. The following methods offer safe and effective ways to boost your sodium consumption.

Incorporating High-Sodium Foods and Strategies

Season Your Food: Don't be afraid to use salt when cooking. Using a quality sea salt or Himalayan pink salt can be a simple way to add flavor and sodium.
Consume Salted Snacks: A handful of salted nuts, seeds, or popcorn can provide a quick and easy sodium boost.
Electrolyte-Rich Beverages: For athletes, sports drinks with electrolytes can help replace sodium lost during long, intense workouts.
Include Fermented Foods: Miso, sauerkraut, and pickles are naturally higher in sodium and can be a healthy addition to your diet.
Add Condiments: A splash of soy sauce or a spoonful of miso paste can significantly increase the sodium content of a meal.

Table: Comparing Sodium in Processed vs. Natural Foods


Food Item	Processed Version	Natural Version
Tuna	Canned in brine (320 mg/100g)	Raw tuna (47 mg/100g)
Peas	Canned (250 mg/100g)	Raw or frozen (trace)
Potatoes	Canned (250 mg/100g)	Raw (9 mg/100g)
Chicken Broth	Canned/Boxed (varies, often high)	Homemade, unsalted (low)
Nuts	Salted (varies, e.g., salted peanuts 400 mg/100g)	Plain (2 mg/100g)

Conclusion

While public health messaging has long focused on the risks of excessive sodium, it is equally important to avoid a deficiency, which can cause significant health problems like hyponatremia. Individuals such as endurance athletes and those on very-low-salt diets are most at risk and should be proactive in monitoring their intake. The key is balance and awareness, not elimination. By incorporating whole food sources of sodium, correctly salting homemade meals, and using electrolyte beverages when needed, you can maintain optimal levels. Always consult a healthcare professional, especially if you have an existing health condition, to ensure your sodium intake is right for you. For more information on dietary guidelines, resources like the World Health Organization (WHO) are available.

Frequently Asked Questions

The American Heart Association recommends no more than 2,300 mg of sodium a day, with an optimal goal closer to 1,500 mg for most adults. For some individuals, like endurance athletes, higher intake may be necessary.

Yes. Drinking excessive amounts of plain water, especially during endurance exercise, can dilute the sodium concentration in your blood. This is known as exercise-associated hyponatremia.

Common symptoms of low sodium, or hyponatremia, include nausea, headaches, fatigue, muscle cramps or weakness, and confusion.

Athletes can prevent sodium deficiency by consuming electrolyte sports drinks during prolonged exercise, salting meals more generously, and eating salted nuts or other snacks.

Diets rich in whole, unprocessed foods are naturally low in sodium because most of the sodium in modern diets comes from packaged and restaurant foods. Individuals on these diets need to be mindful of seasoning their food properly.

Salt cravings can be a sign of sodium deficiency, particularly if you are active or following a low-salt diet. The body uses cravings to signal a need for essential minerals.

Both table salt and sea salt primarily consist of sodium chloride. While sea salt may contain trace minerals, the sodium content is largely the same by weight. A teaspoon of table salt contains about 2000 mg of sodium.