Nutrition Diet: How much salt does someone with POTS need per day?

October 19, 2025 •

4 min read

People with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) often have lower blood volume, a key factor that makes them need significantly more salt than the general population. This increased intake is a cornerstone of managing symptoms, but the exact amount varies, raising the question: How much salt does someone with POTS need per day?

Quick Summary

Salt intake for POTS varies widely, typically ranging from 3,000 to 10,000mg of sodium daily, far exceeding general recommendations. This increase helps raise blood volume, manage symptoms, and requires a corresponding increase in fluid intake. The specific amount must be determined with a healthcare provider.

Key Points

High intake is often necessary: Unlike the general population, many with POTS require a significantly higher salt intake to manage symptoms effectively.
Personalized amount: The optimal amount of salt varies widely among individuals with POTS and must be determined with a healthcare provider based on symptom severity and overall health.
Hydration is critical: Increasing salt intake must be accompanied by a significant increase in fluids, typically several liters daily, to expand blood volume and prevent dehydration.
Multiple intake methods: Salt can be increased through diet (salty foods), supplements (salt tablets, electrolyte powders), and home-prepared electrolyte drinks.
Safety first: Always consult a doctor before dramatically changing your salt intake, especially if you have co-existing conditions like kidney disease or high blood pressure.
Monitor your symptoms: Pay attention to how your body responds to increased salt and fluid, watching for reduced dizziness, fatigue, and tachycardia, and adjusting as needed with medical guidance.

The Role of Salt in Managing POTS

For most people, a diet high in salt is considered unhealthy, but for many with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), it is a vital tool for managing symptoms. POTS is a condition of the autonomic nervous system that can cause a variety of symptoms, including a rapid heart rate, dizziness, lightheadedness, and fatigue upon standing. A primary physiological issue in many POTS patients is low blood volume (hypovolemia). Salt plays a key role in correcting this by helping the body retain fluids, thereby increasing blood volume and improving circulation, which in turn can alleviate many orthostatic symptoms.

How much salt does someone with POTS need per day? Individualized recommendations

There is no one-size-fits-all answer for how much salt is needed, as the ideal amount is highly individualized. Guidelines generally suggest a significantly higher intake than the standard recommendations for the general public. Most sources recommend a daily sodium intake that can be significantly greater than the standard recommendations for healthy individuals. However, the exact amount depends on an individual's specific symptoms, co-existing conditions, bowel habits, fluid intake, and overall health profile, and must always be determined in consultation with a doctor. For instance, a person with the hyperadrenergic subtype of POTS may have different needs than someone with classic hypovolemic POTS.

Practical Strategies for Increasing Salt Intake

Increasing salt intake can be achieved through a variety of dietary and supplemental methods. It is best to incorporate these changes slowly to avoid side effects and allow the body to adjust.

Salty Foods: Include naturally salty foods in your diet to boost intake without relying solely on supplements. Good options include pickles, olives, broths, salted nuts and seeds, and cheeses.
Supplements: For those who cannot get enough salt from food, supplements are a common option. These include salt tablets, electrolyte powders, and specialized salt capsules like Vitassium. Buffered salt tablets may be gentler on a sensitive stomach.
Electrolyte Drinks: Store-bought electrolyte drinks or oral rehydration salts are an option, but it's important to watch for added sugar and artificial sweeteners. A homemade version can be made with water, a pinch of salt, and a little fruit juice.
Adding Salt to Meals: Simply adding more table salt to meals and using salty seasonings like garlic salt or celery salt can help.

The Importance of Hydration with Salt Loading

Increasing salt intake without also increasing fluid intake is counterproductive and can lead to dehydration. Salt needs water to work properly within the body. Most experts recommend drinking a significant amount of fluids per day, with water being the best choice. Combining electrolyte-rich beverages with plain water can help meet hydration needs while also providing additional sodium.

Special Considerations and Monitoring

While a high-salt diet is beneficial for many with POTS, it is not without risks. Long-term effects, especially on cardiovascular health, are not fully understood and require routine monitoring. A doctor should supervise the increase in salt intake, particularly if you have existing health conditions. Patients with kidney disease, high blood pressure, or other cardiovascular issues should proceed with extreme caution and follow their doctor’s specific advice.

General Population vs. POTS Salt Intake


Guideline	General Population	POTS Patients	Notes
Recommended Daily Sodium	< 2,300 mg	Significantly higher than general guidelines	Specific amount varies greatly by individual.
Corresponding Table Salt	< 1 tsp	More than typical recommendations	1 tsp of table salt is ~2,300 mg of sodium.
Medical Supervision	Typically none required	Essential for proper monitoring.
Purpose	To reduce risk of heart disease/high blood pressure.	To increase blood volume and manage orthostatic symptoms.

A Personalized and Monitored Approach

Finding the right level of salt intake for POTS is a journey that requires careful attention and close collaboration with a healthcare provider. While a high-salt diet can be a game-changer for many, it is not a cure-all, and it must be part of a comprehensive management plan that also includes adequate fluids, exercise, and other lifestyle modifications.

Conclusion

For many individuals with POTS, an increased salt intake is a crucial dietary intervention to help manage symptoms stemming from low blood volume. While general guidelines suggest a range of sodium intake, the optimal amount is deeply personal and should be determined with a doctor's guidance. Whether through salty foods, supplements, or electrolyte drinks, it is essential to increase fluid intake alongside salt and monitor for any potential side effects. A personalized and cautious approach ensures that salt can be used safely and effectively as part of a broader POTS management strategy. For more resources, visit Dysautonomia International.

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Frequently Asked Questions

People with POTS often have lower than normal blood volume (hypovolemia). Salt helps the body retain water, which increases blood volume and improves circulation, thereby reducing POTS symptoms like dizziness and fatigue.

While individual needs vary, common recommendations suggest a daily sodium intake significantly higher than the general guideline for the healthy population.

You can increase salt through salty foods like pickles, olives, and broths. However, many POTS patients find it difficult to get enough salt from diet alone and benefit from supplements like salt tablets, electrolyte powders, or specialized capsules.

Yes, it is crucial to increase your fluid intake along with salt. Most experts recommend drinking several liters of fluid per day to ensure the salt helps expand blood volume effectively and to prevent dehydration.

For most POTS patients without cardiovascular comorbidities, high salt is beneficial. However, risks include bloating, or side effects related to co-existing conditions like heart or kidney disease. It is vital to increase intake under a doctor's supervision.

Yes. For example, individuals with hyperadrenergic POTS may respond differently to salt than those with the hypovolemic subtype. A healthcare provider will consider your specific type of POTS when making recommendations.

Table salt (sodium chloride) is about 40% sodium and 60% chloride. When looking at food labels, sodium is listed in milligrams (mg). When your doctor mentions 'grams of salt,' clarify whether they mean sodium or table salt to ensure you are tracking correctly.

Beneficial salty food options include broths, pickles, olives, canned fish, cheeses, salted nuts, and crackers. You can also add more table salt or salty sauces like soy sauce or gravy to your meals.