What I’ve Learned
As explained in “The Salt Fix,” by Dr. Dinicolantonio, the body works very hard to conserve sodium when your intake is low. Sodium is a key component in our cells ability to function in general. Without sodium, your neurons won’t fire, your muscles won’t contract and several important processes can’t occur.
Normally, people pee out a fair amount of sodium daily. However, It has been found when levels are low enough they kidneys refuse to release any sodium into the urine. Dr. Dinicolantonio points out in the Salt Fix that blood pressure increase with a high salt intake can often be explained by a potassium deficiency. Like sodium, potassium is also very important for the function of your cells.
Salt is a negative feedback system- the desire for salt decreases as the sodium content of the body rises.
11 grams of salt give or take seems to be the optimal amount for most people. If you’re exercising and sweating a lot, or you drink a lot of coffee or if you’re lowering your insulin via low carb or ketogenic diet, you may need more salt. While it’s helpful to try and measure out how much you’re getting per day, it’s usually easier to just follow your built-in salt intake regulator- your sense of taste.