Weight-Loss Sodium

Weight-Loss
Unless you already have a pre-existing condition, I wouldn't worry too much about your salt intake, assuming you are aren't eating it by the spoonful.

ETA: And assuming you aren't getting the majority of your nutrition from a can or box.
 
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if you have hypertension (high blood pressure), then there is about a 60% chance of it being sodium-related hypertension. other than this, there isnt much else (that i am aware of) that is scientifically documented as a reason to avoid sodium. and avoid doesn't mean eliminate either:

"For example, muscle contraction is dependent upon the presence of calcium (Ca2+), sodium (Na+), and potassium (K+). Without sufficient levels of these key electrolytes, muscle weakness or severe muscle contractions may occur."
"[electrolytes] affect and regulate the hydration of the body, blood pH, and are critical for nerve and muscle function."
in other words, eliminate sodium entirely, and you die.

however, it should also be noted, that in many cases foods high in sodium are generally unhealthy in other areas as well. it is the processed nature of the food, not so much the effect of the sodium alone.
 
Good post Coach, I was going to mention some of the benefits of Na, one of them being the one you mentioned.

The way I usually lay it out for people is this:

If you are eating a relatively natural diet and have no pre-existing medical conditions such as hypertension, don't worry about the over-consumptoin of salt.
 
Sodium ?

I hear that sodium can slow down the weight loss process, is this true?

What should our daily intake be for sodium?

Also, on the back of packages, for example ramen noodle soup, it says it contains 790 mg sodium, is that per serving (god i hope not), or for the entire package?
 
Prakas87 said:
I hear that sodium can slow down the weight loss process, is this true?

What should our daily intake be for sodium?

Also, on the back of packages, for example ramen noodle soup, it says it contains 790 mg sodium, is that per serving (god i hope not), or for the entire package?
Click to expand...

I haven't touched ramen noodles since my college days - but it used to be 2 servings per package and the nutrion info given is per serving - so yeah that' a lot of sodium... There was a food network show on the secret life of ramen noodles ages ago - and ramen is not exactly health food - the noodles are deep fried before they are packged so you might want tor ethink eating them

there are a few threads floating aorund on sodium - the RDA for sodium is 2400 mg per day - less if you have high blood pressure....

I notice in myself when my sodium intake is high, it slows down weight loss -but that's not necesarily true for all people and if I drink more water it clears itself up..

Some folks will tell you that unless you have a preexisting condition, it's not a big deal - which is true... but I'm of the mindset it's not a bad idea to keep it under reasonable numbers and avoid added salt to foods and limit processed foods
 
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And to think their were days prior to my diet where I'd have 2 or 3 ramen soups....I could cry.

I'll make sure to start keeping tabs on sodium.
 
It can in the sense that if you ingest a lot of salt and don't drink very much water, you'll retain more water weight than normal. This really only affects the number on the scale although drinking the proper amount of water, at least .5 ounces per pound of body weight a day, helps with weight loss for a number of reasons.
 
Has anyone ever really paid attention to sodium content of prepared or packaged food and food eaten at common resturants?

Examples of food on healt menus at common US resturants.
WEndys: Chicken Grill 950 or 50% alotted intake daily
Mcdonalds: Grilled Chicken sandwich 1150 or 54% alotted intake daily
Subway: Club Sandwich 1250 or 58% alotted intake daily
 
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I will not eat processed foods becausse of the exceedingly high amounts of sodium in them - not to mention that m ost taste pretty gross but its the sodium that's the deal breaker for me.

I always pay attention to sodium
 
I try to watch my sodium intake, but I usually drink about 2 gallons or so of water daily so it tends to flush it out of my system. Just avoid processed foods.
 
Personally, I don't concern myself too much with my sodium intake. I never was a huge fan of loading my foods with salt.

Here's a great post I thought I'd share from another forum. It's posted by Erik Ledin, a trainer/friend of mine.

My thoughts on sodium ...

Keep in mind, I am speaking to the population that is involved in healthy eating, fitness as a lifestyle, etc. Not so much the average North American who is overweight, eats fast food all the time, etc. And much of this is very specific to the competitor.

Ok, let's see, water retention. This is probably the most common one.

Everyone equates sodium with water retention. This is true, but most people have misunderstood this process, or simply don't know enough about it. Sodium and potassium are two of the most delicately controlled minerals in our bodies. We can only voluntarily upset this tightly regulated balance for a short period of time before our bodies adapt to our dietary intake, and adjust certain hormones to compensate and return intra and extracellular quantities to the desired amounts.

What causes water retention is CHANGES in sodium intake. So when one goes from low to high - until their body can adapt, they'll hold water. When one goes from high to low - until their body can adapt, they'll lose water. HOWEVER, if one were to stay high, once the body adapted it would adjust retained levels and excrete the rest. You could effectively make this higher than normal intake be your new baseline - ie. no water retention.

Fluid balance is governed by the kidneys and the various hormones - antidiuretic hormone, aldosterone etc. When aldosterone levels are high, your body promotes the reuptake of sodium and water in the kidneys - basically you hold water. When aldosterone levels are low, your body flushes water and sodium through the kidneys. As a result, sodium balance remains normal. This is the case with all apparently healthy individuals who do not already have a blood pressure condition.

So what affects aldosterone?

High water and high salt = low aldosterone (water excreting processes)
Low water and low salt = high aldosterone (water retaining processes)

So when sodium is up for a prolonged period of time, and you're drinking lots of water, you will suppress aldosterone levels, which will cause you to flush the excess sodium and water. Sodium and water are also like magnets to each other, so when one leaves, so does the other. So you could effectively train your body to treat a higher sodium intake as 'normal'.So While, yes, increased sodium intake will cause some initial water retention, the retention is only temporary.

When sodium is low for a prolonged period of time, regardless of water consumption (because aldosterone responds to both water and sodium (and potassium actually), you will suppress aldosterone. Your body senses this as a stress and since it needs to maintain sodium for cellular processes, it promotes reuptake of it in the kidneys. You keep what little is coming in. And remember, where sodium goes, water goes.

A lot of people trying to lose weight cut their sodium down. I am not sure why, as sodium and water have nothing to do with fat loss.

The benefits of keeping salt in the diet, besides what is mentioned above is that one, food tastes better (LOL) and two it causes an increase in blood volume which improves both oxygen and nutrient delivery to, and waste removal (CO2, lactic acid, etc) from, your working muscles. Additionally increased blood volume will result in better gym performance.

The only circumstance in which individuals may benefit by monitoring their sodium intake is if they have already been clinically diagnosed as suffering from hypertension and are also salt sensitive Keep in mind, only about 20% of the population is salt sensitive.

Oh, and scrap the table salt. Use kosher salt or unrefined sea salt – higher mineral content.

Oh, and sodium is also responsible for delivering potassium inside the cell (Na pump). If there isn't enough sodium, you're body is forced to use an active transport mechanism to get the job done. This is not the preferred means of operation for your body. What ends up happening is that less potassium is transported due to energy costs.
 
what about the sodium in carbonated mineral water? is that bad. because im quite obsessed with it at the moment as its a nice alternative to the old tap water. But is it bad for you?
 
I try to keep my sodium intake to less than 2000mg a day - 2300mg is the us rda... so doesnt really matter where it comes from, just keep track of it if you're concerned about it
 
I try to avoid high sodium foods. I drink low sodium V8 (it taste better) and also by foods that have no salt added. You can find canned corn with no salt added and even low sodium ketchup (which my husband hated!). You just have to pay attention to the labels when you are at the store... once you know what to buy its not so bad.
 
Sodium?

Well as i've been flicking through some threads , quite a few people have mentioned cutting sodium out of their diet ....

and im just a bit worried because i drink a lot of fizzy mineral water that has quite a high sodium content.

I probabaly sound stupid but does this affect weight loss in anyway?


Thankyouuuuu
 
Sodium intake?

Hi - just wondering if anyone here also tracks the amount of sodium in their diet? If so - what do you try to keep the amount to? Is there a target we should strive for in order to lose weight?

I just got to think about this after reading some stats on subway sandwiches - the low fat 6inch subs are reasonable for calories (300-380ish) however, most of them have close to a 1,000mg of sodium or more! My diet is pretty low in sodium otherwise (no processed foods) but I'm wondering if 1,000mg of sodium/day is excessive? In addition to weight, I'm concerned about the impact on hypertension.

Thanks,
 
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