What do sodium do for the body

Hypernatremia is poorly tolerated by older people and can result in confusion, coma, and death if severe. Excess fluid and sodium also occur more commonly in older people because disorders that usually result in excess fluid fluid overload Overhydration Overhydration is an excess of water in the body.

A low sodium level in blood hyponatremia Hyponatremia Low Level of Sodium in the Blood In hyponatremia, the level of sodium in blood is too low.

Hyponatremia usually results when the body retains too much fluid, as occurs in heart failure or liver disease. Hyponatremia also occurs in older people who take certain types of diuretics thiazide diuretics such as hydrochlorothiazide , particularly if the kidneys are not functioning normally. Diuretics, which are sometimes called water pills, are drugs that help the body eliminate excess fluid. Using liquid nutritional supplements or receiving intravenous fluids that are low in sodium while in the hospital also may cause hyponatremia in older people.

Merck and Co. From developing new therapies that treat and prevent disease to helping people in need, we are committed to improving health and well-being around the world. The Manual was first published in as a service to the community. Learn more about our commitment to Global Medical Knowledge. This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here. Common Health Topics. Controlling blood volume. Maintaining fluid and sodium balance in older people.

Electrolyte Balance. Test your knowledge. Hypoglycemia is an abnormally low level of sugar glucose in the blood. People with which of the following conditions are most likely to develop hypoglycemia? More Content. Click here for the Professional Version. As people age, the body is less able to maintain fluid and sodium balance for several reasons:.

Was This Page Helpful? Low sodium levels have many causes, such as heart failure, malnutrition, and diarrhea. Why It Is Done A sodium blood test is done to: Check on the mix of water and certain minerals in the body. Find the cause of symptoms from low or high levels of sodium.

Check on the progress of diseases of the kidneys or adrenal glands. How To Prepare In general, there's nothing you have to do before this test, unless your doctor tells you to. How It Is Done A health professional uses a needle to take a blood sample, usually from the arm. How long the test takes The test will take a few minutes. How It Feels When a blood sample is taken, you may feel nothing at all from the needle. Risks There is very little chance of having a problem from this test.

Results A sodium test checks how much sodium an electrolyte and a mineral is in the blood. Results are ready in 1 day. High values High sodium levels hypernatremia can be caused by a high-sodium diet or by not drinking enough water and being dehydrated. Dehydration may also be caused by medicines such as diuretics , severe vomiting or diarrhea, Cushing's syndrome , kidney disease or injury, diabetic ketoacidosis , or a condition called diabetes insipidus that makes it hard to balance the water level in the body.

High sodium levels can also be caused by high levels of the hormone aldosterone hyperaldosteronism. Low values Low sodium levels hyponatremia can be caused by a lot of sweating, burns, severe vomiting or diarrhea, drinking too much water psychogenic polydipsia , or poor nutrition.

Low sodium levels can also be caused by underactive adrenal glands or thyroid gland , heart failure , kidney disease, cirrhosis , cystic fibrosis , or SIADH syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion. Mosby's Manual of Diagnostic and Laboratory Tests , 4th ed. Louis: Mosby Elsevier.

Credits Current as of: September 23, Sodium is a mineral, and one of the chemical elements found in salt. As a food ingredient, sodium has multiple uses, such as for curing meat, baking, thickening, retaining moisture, enhancing flavor including the flavor of other ingredients , and as a preservative.

Also, some foods that you may eat several times a day such as breads can add up to a lot of sodium over the course of a day, even though an individual serving may not be high in sodium. You can also check for nutrient claims on food and beverage packages to quickly identify those that may contain less sodium.

Sodium attracts water, and a high-sodium diet draws water into the bloodstream, which can increase the volume of blood and subsequently your blood pressure. High blood pressure also known as hypertension is a condition in which blood pressure remains elevated over time. Hypertension makes the heart work too hard, and the high force of the blood flow can harm arteries and organs such as the heart, kidneys, brain, and eyes.

Uncontrolled high blood pressure can raise the risk of heart attack, heart failure, stroke, kidney disease, and blindness. In addition, blood pressure generally rises as you get older, so limiting your sodium intake becomes even more important each year.