What Happens to Your Body If You Cut Out Salt?

December 10, 2025 •

4 min read

The average person consumes nearly double the World Health Organization's recommended amount of salt, but what happens to your body if you cut out salt completely? The effects are a double-edged sword, involving both initial improvements and potential long-term risks if not managed carefully.

Quick Summary

Eliminating salt causes initial fluid changes and taste bud adjustments, but can lead to dangerously low blood sodium (hyponatremia), low blood pressure, and hormonal imbalances, highlighting the critical need for a balanced approach.

Key Points

Initial Adjustments: Cutting out salt leads to reduced water retention and bloating within a few days, along with a temporary drop in blood pressure for some individuals.
Taste Bud Re-calibration: Your palate will adapt to the change, with food tasting bland at first, but becoming more sensitive to natural flavors over a few weeks.
Serious Health Risks: Completely eliminating salt can cause hyponatremia, a dangerous condition of critically low blood sodium that leads to symptoms like confusion, headaches, seizures, and in rare cases, death.
Other Negative Effects: Extremely low sodium can cause low blood pressure (hypotension), metabolic disruption, hormonal stress on the adrenal glands, and potentially compromise bone health.
Balance is Best: The healthy approach is not zero salt, but moderate reduction, primarily by limiting processed foods and cooking more at home with herbs and spices instead of relying on the salt shaker.
Listen to Your Body: While most people can safely reduce excess salt, individuals with certain health conditions or those who are very active should monitor their intake and consult a doctor to prevent deficiency symptoms.

The Immediate Impact: A Week Without Salt

When you first begin to cut out salt, your body's initial response is primarily centered around fluid regulation. Sodium is critical for maintaining fluid balance, and a sudden drop in intake prompts the kidneys to excrete more water. This can lead to a few immediate, and often desired, changes.

Reduced Bloating: Less sodium intake means your body holds less excess water, leading to a noticeable reduction in swelling and bloating, particularly in the hands and feet.
Lowered Blood Pressure: For individuals with salt-sensitive hypertension, a significant decrease in sodium can lead to a measurable drop in blood pressure within just a few days.
Altered Taste Perception: Processed foods often contain high amounts of salt, which over time dulls your taste buds' sensitivity. When you remove this added sodium, foods may initially taste bland. However, this is temporary, as your palate will eventually readjust and become more sensitive to the natural flavors of food.

The Long-Term Consequences of a Zero-Salt Diet

While reducing excess salt is widely beneficial, completely eliminating it poses significant health risks. Sodium is a vital electrolyte necessary for normal nerve function, muscle contraction, and maintaining proper fluid balance. Your body requires a minimum amount, and without it, a cascade of negative effects can occur.

Risk of Hyponatremia: This is a dangerous condition caused by abnormally low blood sodium levels. Symptoms include nausea, headache, fatigue, confusion, and muscle cramps. In severe cases, hyponatremia can lead to brain swelling, seizures, and even death.
Low Blood Pressure (Hypotension): While some experience a healthy reduction in high blood pressure, a complete lack of sodium can cause it to drop too low. Symptoms of hypotension include dizziness, lightheadedness, and fainting, especially when standing up quickly.
Hormonal Strain: When sodium intake is too low, the adrenal glands work overtime, releasing hormones like aldosterone and renin to force the kidneys to retain sodium. This sustained hormonal strain can lead to increased cortisol levels, affecting stress and energy.
Insulin Resistance: Some research suggests a link between extremely low sodium diets and worsening insulin resistance, which increases the risk of type 2 diabetes and metabolic issues.
Compromised Bone Health: The body can scavenge sodium from bones to maintain blood levels, which could potentially impact bone density over time.

Comparison of High vs. Balanced vs. Extremely Low Sodium Diets


Aspect	High Sodium Intake	Balanced Sodium Intake	Extremely Low Sodium Intake
Cardiovascular Health	Increases risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.	Supports healthy blood pressure and reduces cardiovascular risk.	Can cause low blood pressure, potentially increasing heart failure risks in some individuals.
Fluid Balance	Causes water retention, leading to bloating and swelling.	Maintains stable fluid levels, preventing retention and dehydration.	Risks dehydration and serious fluid-related electrolyte imbalances.
Taste Sensation	Over-sensitizes palate to salt, masking natural flavors.	Allows for appreciation of natural food flavors, with salt used to enhance, not dominate.	Food tastes bland initially; palate adjusts over time to become more sensitive.
Nerve & Muscle Function	Can impair function through fluid imbalances.	Supports proper nerve signal transmission and muscle contractions.	Risks cramps, weakness, and impaired nerve function due to electrolyte imbalance.
Metabolic Health	Link to obesity and other metabolic concerns.	Optimal metabolic function.	May worsen insulin resistance, especially for those with existing conditions like diabetes.

How to Approach Salt Reduction Safely and Effectively

Rather than eliminating salt entirely, a more prudent approach is to reduce excess intake, particularly from processed and packaged foods. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends less than 2000 mg of sodium (equivalent to 5g of salt) per day for adults. This can be achieved through several practical steps.

Practical Tips for Cutting Back on Sodium

Cook at Home: A staggering amount of sodium comes from restaurant and processed foods. Preparing meals at home gives you complete control over the ingredients.
Use Herbs and Spices: Flavor your food with natural alternatives like garlic, onion powder, herbs, spices, or a squeeze of lemon juice instead of relying on the salt shaker.
Read Labels: When buying packaged foods, compare the sodium content and choose products labeled "low sodium," "reduced sodium," or "no salt added".
Buy Fresh: Fresh or frozen vegetables without sauce or salt added are excellent low-sodium choices.
Give it Time: Your taste buds will adapt to less salt within a few weeks, allowing you to appreciate the true flavors of your food.

Conclusion: The Case for Balance

What happens to your body if you cut out salt? The answer is a delicate balance. While reducing excessive sodium intake offers significant benefits, such as lowered blood pressure and reduced bloating, completely eliminating salt is not a healthy, or safe, strategy. Sodium is a crucial nutrient, and a deficiency can lead to serious health problems like hyponatremia. The key to better health isn't a zero-salt policy but a balanced approach. By cutting back on processed foods and using fresh ingredients and natural seasonings, you can reduce your sodium intake to a healthy level without jeopardizing your body's essential functions. For specific medical conditions or concerns, always consult with a healthcare professional to determine the right dietary plan for you.

For more detailed guidance on healthy sodium levels, consult authoritative health organizations like the WHO guidance on sodium reduction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Your taste buds can take anywhere from a few weeks to a month to fully adjust to a lower salt intake. Initially, food might taste bland, but with patience, you will begin to notice and appreciate the natural flavors of ingredients more.

Initial symptoms of hyponatremia can include nausea, vomiting, headache, fatigue, and muscle cramps. If your sodium levels drop rapidly, symptoms may be more severe and sudden.

Yes, completely eliminating salt is not recommended and can be dangerous. Sodium is a vital electrolyte, and a severe deficiency can lead to hyponatremia, low blood pressure, and other serious health complications.

To reduce salt without sacrificing flavor, use natural alternatives like herbs, spices, garlic, onion powder, and a splash of lemon juice or vinegar. Cooking with fresh, unprocessed ingredients also helps you control the amount of sodium you consume.

You may experience initial weight loss from cutting out salt, but this is primarily due to shedding excess water weight, not fat. Reducing sodium causes your body to excrete stored water, which can create a temporary drop on the scale.

For most people, a genuine sodium shortage from exercise is rare. However, high-performance athletes or those who sweat excessively may need to replenish electrolytes. For the average person, staying well-hydrated with water is generally sufficient.

Individuals with certain pre-existing conditions, such as heart disease, kidney disease, or diabetes, should consult a healthcare professional before significantly reducing their salt intake. They may have specific needs or risks to consider.