Editing Sodium (section)

=== Biological role in humans ===
In humans, sodium is an essential mineral that regulates [[blood]] volume, blood pressure, [[Osmosis|osmotic]] equilibrium and [[pH]]. The minimum physiological requirement for sodium is estimated to range from about 120 milligrams per day in newborns to 500 milligrams per day over the age of 10.<ref name="r31">{{cite web|url=http://nuinfo-proto4.northwestern.edu/nutrition/factsheets/sodium.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110823114818/http://nuinfo-proto4.northwestern.edu/nutrition/factsheets/sodium.pdf|archive-date=23 August 2011|title=Sodium|publisher=Northwestern University|access-date=21 November 2011}}</ref>

==== Diet ====
[[Sodium chloride]], also known as 'edible salt' or 'table salt'<ref>{{cite book | chapter-url=https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-85513-6.00002-5 | doi=10.1016/B978-0-323-85513-6.00002-5 | chapter=Strategies for the reduction of salt in food products | title=Food Structure Engineering and Design for Improved Nutrition, Health and Well-Being | date=2023 | last1=Dos Santos | first1=Mirian | last2=Triviño | first2=Andrea Paola Rodriguez | last3=Barros | first3=Julliane Carvalho | last4=Da Cruz | first4=Adriano G. | last5=Pollonio | first5=Marise Aparecida Rodrigues | pages=187–218 | isbn=978-0-323-85513-6 }}</ref> (chemical formula {{chem2|NaCl}}), is the principal source of sodium ({{chem2|Na}}) in the diet and is used as seasoning and preservative in such commodities as [[pickling|pickled preserves]] and [[Jerky (food)|jerky]]. For Americans, most sodium chloride comes from [[Convenience food|processed foods]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://health.ltgovernors.com/sodium-and-potassium-health-facts.html|title=Sodium and Potassium Quick Health Facts|work=health.ltgovernors.com|access-date=7 November 2011|archive-date=30 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180630141652/http://health.ltgovernors.com/sodium-and-potassium-health-facts.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Other sources of sodium are its natural occurrence in food and such food additives as [[monosodium glutamate]] (MSG), [[sodium nitrite]], sodium saccharin, [[baking soda]] (sodium bicarbonate), and [[sodium benzoate]].<ref name="medline">{{cite web|url=https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002415.htm|title=Sodium in diet|publisher=MedlinePlus, US National Library of Medicine|date=5 October 2016|access-date=23 July 2016|archive-date=29 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190329001333/https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002415.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[U.S. Institute of Medicine]] set its [[Dietary Reference Intake|tolerable upper intake level]] for sodium at 2.3&nbsp;grams per day,<ref>{{cite web|date=20 July 2005|title=Reference Values for Elements|url=http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/nutrition/reference/table/ref_elements_tbl-eng.php|website=Dietary Reference Intakes Tables|publisher=Health Canada|access-date=25 August 2016|archive-date=29 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170529081816/http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/nutrition/reference/table/ref_elements_tbl-eng.php|url-status=live}}</ref> but the average person in the United States consumes 3.4&nbsp;grams per day.<ref>{{cite book|author1=U.S. Department of Agriculture|url=http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/DietaryGuidelines/2010/PolicyDoc/PolicyDoc.pdf|title=Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010|author2=U.S. Department of Health and Human Services|date=December 2010|isbn=978-0-16-087941-8|edition=7th|page=22|publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |oclc=738512922|author-link1=United States Department of Agriculture|author-link2=United States Department of Health and Human Services|access-date=23 November 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110206111821/http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/DietaryGuidelines/2010/PolicyDoc/PolicyDoc.pdf|archive-date=6 February 2011}}</ref> The [[American Heart Association]] recommends no more than 1.5&nbsp;g of sodium per day.<ref>{{cite web|date=2016|title=How much sodium should I eat per day?|url=http://sodiumbreakup.heart.org/sodium-411/how-much-sodium-do-you-need/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160928045342/http://sodiumbreakup.heart.org/sodium-411/how-much-sodium-do-you-need/|archive-date=28 September 2016|access-date=15 October 2016|publisher=American Heart Association}}</ref>

The Committee to Review the Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium, which is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, has determined that there isn't enough evidence from research studies to establish Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) and Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) values for sodium. As a result, the committee has established Adequate Intake (AI) levels instead, as follows. The sodium AI for infants of 0–6 months is established at 110&nbsp;mg/day, 7–12 months: 370&nbsp;mg/day; for children 1–3 years: 800&nbsp;mg/day, 4–8 years: 1,000&nbsp;mg/day; for adolescents: 9–13 years – 1,200&nbsp;mg/day, 14–18 years 1,500&nbsp;mg/day; for adults regardless of their age or sex: 1,500&nbsp;mg/day.<ref>{{cite book|isbn=978-0-309-48834-1|department=National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine|year=2019|title=Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium|location=Washington, DC|publisher=The National Academies Press|doi=10.17226/25353|pmid=30844154 |editor-last1=Stallings |editor-last2=Harrison |editor-last3=Oria |editor-first1=Virginia A. |editor-first2=Meghan |editor-first3=Maria }}</ref>

Sodium chloride ({{chem2|NaCl}}) contains approximately 39.34% of its total mass as elemental sodium ({{chem2|Na}}). This means that {{Val|1|u=gram}} of sodium chloride contains approximately {{Val|393.4|u=mg}} of elemental sodium.<ref name="elemental">{{Cite web |url=https://www.chemicalaid.com/tools/molarmass.php?formula=NaCl&hl=en |title=NaCl (Sodium Chloride) Molar Mass |access-date=18 March 2024 |archive-date=18 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240318225521/https://www.chemicalaid.com/tools/molarmass.php?formula=NaCl&hl=en |url-status=live }}</ref> For example, to find out how much sodium chloride contains 1500&nbsp;mg of elemental sodium (the value of 1500&nbsp;mg sodium is the adequate intake (AI) for an adult), we can use the proportion:
:393.4 mg Na : 1000 mg NaCl = 1500 mg Na : x mg NaCl
Solving for ''x'' gives us the amount of sodium chloride that contains 1500&nbsp;mg of elemental sodium
:x = (1500 mg Na × 1000 mg NaCl) / 393.4 mg Na = 3812.91 mg
This mean that 3812.91&nbsp;mg of sodium chloride contain 1500&nbsp;mg of elemental sodium.<ref name="elemental"/>

==== High sodium consumption ====
{{Main|Health effects of salt}}
High sodium consumption is unhealthy, and can lead to alteration in the mechanical performance of the heart.<ref name="Patel-2020">{{Cite journal|last1=Patel|first1=Yash|last2=Joseph|first2=Jacob|date=2020-12-13|title=Sodium Intake and Heart Failure|journal=International Journal of Molecular Sciences|volume=21|issue=24|page=9474|doi=10.3390/ijms21249474|issn=1422-0067|pmc=7763082|pmid=33322108|doi-access=free}}</ref> High sodium consumption is also associated with [[chronic kidney disease]], [[high blood pressure]], [[cardiovascular disease]]s, and [[stroke]].<ref name="Patel-2020" />

===== High blood pressure =====
There is a strong correlation between higher sodium intake and higher blood pressure.<ref>{{cite web|last=CDC|date=2018-02-28|title=The links between sodium, potassium, and your blood pressure|url=https://www.cdc.gov/salt/research_reviews/sodium_potassium_blood_pressure.htm|access-date=2021-01-05|website=Centers for Disease Control and Prevention|language=en-us|archive-date=17 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210117045956/https://www.cdc.gov/salt/research_reviews/sodium_potassium_blood_pressure.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> Studies have found that lowering sodium intake by 2&nbsp;g per day tends to lower [[systolic blood pressure]] by about two to four mm&nbsp;Hg.<ref name="Impact">{{cite journal|pmid=15369026|date=2004|last1=Geleijnse|first1=J. M.|last2=Kok|first2=F. J.|last3=Grobbee|first3=D. E.|title=Impact of dietary and lifestyle factors on the prevalence of hypertension in Western populations|volume=14|issue=3|pages=235–239|journal=European Journal of Public Health|doi=10.1093/eurpub/14.3.235|doi-access=free|url=https://dspace.library.uu.nl/bitstream/handle/1874/12616/grobbee_05_impactofdietaryandlifestylefactors.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y}}</ref> It has been estimated that such a decrease in sodium intake would lead to 9–17% fewer cases of [[hypertension]].<ref name="Impact" />

Hypertension causes 7.6 million premature deaths worldwide each year.<ref>{{cite journal|pmid=18456100|date=2008|last1=Lawes|first1=C. M.|last2=Vander Hoorn|first2=S.|last3=Rodgers|first3=A.|author4=International Society of Hypertension|title=Global burden of blood-pressure-related disease, 2001|volume=371|issue=9623|pages=1513–1518|doi=10.1016/S0140-6736(08)60655-8|journal=Lancet|url=http://www.worldactiononsalt.com/docs/news/2008/60532.pdf|access-date=25 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151026130602/http://www.worldactiononsalt.com/docs/news/2008/60532.pdf|archive-date=26 October 2015|url-status=dead|citeseerx=10.1.1.463.887|s2cid=19315480}}</ref> Since edible salt contains about 39.3% sodium<ref>{{cite book|author=Armstrong, James |title=General, Organic, and Biochemistry: An Applied Approach |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bcU8AAAAQBAJ&pg=PA48 |date=2011 |publisher=Cengage Learning |isbn=978-1-133-16826-3 |pages=48–}}</ref>—the rest being chlorine and trace chemicals; thus, 2.3&nbsp;g sodium is about 5.9&nbsp;g, or 5.3&nbsp;ml, of salt—about one [[US teaspoon]].<ref>[http://www.traditionaloven.com/culinary-arts/cooking/table-salt/convert-gram-g-to-tea-spoon-tsp.html Table Salt Conversion] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140923113351/http://www.traditionaloven.com/culinary-arts/cooking/table-salt/convert-gram-g-to-tea-spoon-tsp.html |date=23 September 2014 }}. Traditionaloven.com. Retrieved on 11 November 2015.</ref><ref name="fda">{{cite web|url=https://www.fda.gov/food/labelingnutrition/ucm315393.htm|title=Use the Nutrition Facts Label to Reduce Your Intake of Sodium in Your Diet|date=3 January 2018|publisher=US Food and Drug Administration|access-date=2 February 2018|archive-date=25 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180125015301/https://www.fda.gov/Food/LabelingNutrition/ucm315393.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

One scientific review found that people with or without hypertension who excreted less than 3 grams of sodium per day in their urine (and therefore were taking in less than 3&nbsp;g/d) had a ''higher'' risk of death, stroke, or heart attack than those excreting 4 to 5 grams per day.<ref name="Andrew Mente-2016" /> Levels of 7&nbsp;g per day or more in people with hypertension were associated with higher mortality and cardiovascular events, but this was not found to be true for people without [[hypertension]].<ref name="Andrew Mente-2016">{{cite journal|author1=Andrew Mente|display-authors=etal|title=Associations of urinary sodium excretion with cardiovascular events in individuals with and without hypertension: a pooled analysis of data from four studies|journal=The Lancet|date=2016|doi=10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30467-6|pmid=27216139|volume=388|issue=10043|pages=465–75|hdl=10379/16625|s2cid=44581906|url=https://repositorio.udes.edu.co/handle/001/3453|hdl-access=free|access-date=10 March 2023|archive-date=6 November 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231106174547/https://repositorio.udes.edu.co/handle/001/3453|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Food and Drug Administration|US FDA]] states that adults with hypertension and prehypertension should reduce daily sodium intake to 1.5&nbsp;g.<ref name="fda" />

==== Physiology ====
The [[renin–angiotensin system]] regulates the amount of fluid and sodium concentration in the body. Reduction of blood pressure and sodium concentration in the kidney result in the production of [[renin]], which in turn produces [[aldosterone]] and [[angiotensin]], which stimulates the reabsorption of sodium back into the bloodstream. When the concentration of sodium increases, the production of renin decreases, and the sodium concentration returns to normal.<ref>{{cite book|last1=McGuire|first1=Michelle|last2=Beerman|first2=Kathy A.|title=Nutritional Sciences: From Fundamentals to Food|url=https://archive.org/details/nutritionalscien00mich|url-access=limited|date=2011|publisher=Cengage Learning|isbn=978-0-324-59864-3|page=[https://archive.org/details/nutritionalscien00mich/page/n576 546]|oclc=472704484}}</ref> The sodium ion (Na<sup>+</sup>) is an important electrolyte in [[neuron]] function, and in osmoregulation between cells and the [[extracellular fluid]]. This is accomplished in all animals by [[Na+/K+-ATPase|Na<sup>+</sup>/K<sup>+</sup>-ATPase]], an active transporter pumping ions against the gradient, and sodium/potassium channels.<ref>{{cite book|last=Campbell|first=Neil|title=Biology|date=1987|isbn=978-0-8053-1840-1|page=795|publisher=Benjamin/Cummings}}</ref> The difference in extracellular and intracellular ion concentration, maintained by the sodium-potassium pump, produce electrical signals in the form of [[Action potential|action potentials]] that supports cardiac muscle contraction and promote long distance communication between neurons.<ref name="Gagnon 2021" /> Sodium is the most prevalent metallic ion in extracellular fluid.<ref>{{cite book|last=Srilakshmi|first=B.|title=Nutrition Science|date=2006|publisher=New Age International|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f_i7j4_cMLIC&pg=PA318|isbn=978-81-224-1633-6|edition=2nd|page=318|oclc=173807260|access-date=8 January 2016|archive-date=1 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160201224412/https://books.google.com/books?id=f_i7j4_cMLIC&pg=PA318|url-status=live}}</ref>

In humans, unusually low or high sodium levels in the blood is recognized in medicine as [[hyponatremia]] and [[hypernatremia]]. These conditions may be caused by genetic factors, ageing, or prolonged vomiting or diarrhea.<ref>
{{cite book
|last1=Pohl
|first1=Hanna R.
|last2=Wheeler
|first2=John S.
|first3=H. Edward
|last3=Murray
|editor=Astrid Sigel
|editor2=Helmut Sigel
|editor3=Roland K. O. Sigel
|title=Interrelations between Essential Metal Ions and Human Diseases
|series=Metal Ions in Life Sciences
|volume=13
|date=2013
|publisher=Springer
|pages=29–47
|doi=10.1007/978-94-007-7500-8_2
|pmid=24470088
|chapter=Sodium and Potassium in Health and Disease
|isbn=978-94-007-7499-5
}}
</ref>