Is sodium chloride harmful to the human body?

Sodium chloride is a substance we are familiar with. It is contained in the table salt we consume, and it is also given when people are getting IV drips in hospitals. Sodium chloride is electrolyzed water, which seems to be good for the human body, but is sodium chloride harmful to the human body? If absorbed in excess, it will be harmful to the human body. In fact, our body contains sodium chloride, which is the most basic electrolyte substance in the human body. Too much of it will be harmful to the kidneys.

Sodium has the function of maintaining blood pressure. Sodium regulates the volume of extracellular fluid and constitutes the osmotic pressure of extracellular fluid. The continuous changes in the sodium concentration of extracellular fluid have a great impact on blood pressure. If there is too much sodium and too little potassium in the diet, and the sodium-potassium ratio is high, blood pressure will rise. The younger the age at which high blood pressure occurs, the shorter the life expectancy.

The constant amount of water in the body is mainly regulated by sodium. More sodium means more water, and less sodium means less water. Therefore, if you consume too much salt, edema is likely to occur, while too little salt can easily cause dehydration. Sodium affects muscle movement, cardiovascular function and energy metabolism. When sodium is insufficient, energy generation and utilization are poor, resulting in sluggish neuromuscular transmission. Symptoms include muscle weakness, confusion, even coma, and symptoms of suppressed cardiovascular function.

If there is a lack of sodium, hyponatremia will occur. The patient will feel tired, indifferent, listless, and prone to fainting when standing up. In severe cases, he will experience nausea, vomiting, and a sharp drop in blood pressure.

There are many reasons for sodium deficiency, such as loss of gastrointestinal digestive juices due to diarrhea, vomiting, etc. The sodium chloride content in sweat is about 0.25%. If a person with high fever, working in high temperature or doing a lot of exercise sweats a lot, water loss, mainly due to sodium deficiency, may occur. In addition, abnormal renal function, diabetic acidosis, the use of diuretics and large-area burns can all lead to excessive sodium loss, causing sodium deficiency, dehydration and other metabolic disorders.

Excessive sodium can also cause local sodium hypernatremia, which has a significant impact on the central nervous system. Patients can become easily agitated, restless, drowsy, have increased muscle tone, convulsions, seizures, and even coma.