Why is salt bad for you?

[Nicorette]

Anyone know?

 

[toxicsambo]

Anyone know?

It increases blood pressure and retains unwanted water and waste that your body doesn't excrete. That's why you should drink 8 glasses of water a day, besides preventing dehydration and retention, it flushes out your kidneys and your blood stream. If you are looking for more specific info, just google it.

 

[Daisy_Girl]

It increases blood pressure and retains unwanted water and waste that your body doesn't excrete. That's why you should drink 8 glasses of water a day, besides preventing dehydration and retention, it flushes out your kidneys and your blood stream. If you are looking for more specific info, just google it.

It is only bad for your blood pressure if you are already pre-disposed to abnormally high blood pressure. If you are healthy and normal, it won't have any adverse effects on you. Esp if you diet is clean and you are active - both those activities will LOWER your BP.

As for water retention, it is temporary. Drink enough water and have a good Na/K balance, and you have no issues.

If you have a high salt intake and you only drink 8 glasses of water (64oz) then you WILL retain water. The average person HERE drinks AT LEAST 1 gallon a day (128oz). If you drink that much, you won't have water retention issues.

 

[The Red Dragon]

sodium - water retention, but you need sodium to live lol, you lose it when you sweat
the average person here is more scared of the water retention from sodium than the blood pressure increase lol

 

[anthrax]

Salt is what makes a steak taste good

 

[|D_J^B_J|]

If you are trying to lean out, limit your intake of sodium by cutting table salt, bread, sauces, etc.

However, if you are trying to build muscle mass, sodium is essential.

Here is an extract from chris Aceto's article entitled '10 Quick Tips to Build Mass':
Sodium is an essential mineral that is an absolute must for muscle growth. Sodium has a bad rap because it can cause water retention - anathema to contest ready bodybuilders. On the plus side, sodium enhances carbohydrate storage and amino acid absorption while also improving the muscle's responsiveness to insulin.

For anyone interested, the full article can be found here:
http://www.getbig.com/articles/mass2.htm

 

[SPORT SCIENTIST]

Anyone know?

This is quite a complicated question but here goes: Sodium (NA+) is the major positive ion found in extracellular fluids (fluids outside cells); important for the water balance, conduction of nerve impulses, and muscle contraction. It is widely distributed, with 50% found in extracellular fluid, 40% in bone salts and 10% within cells. Absorption is rapid and almost complete, with excretion in urine, controlled by aldosterone.
It is the principle electrolyte maintaining osmotic pressure of extracellular fluids and water balance; as part of a bicarbonate buffer system. In this respect, it aids in the acid base balance of blood needed for normal neuromuscular function. It is also part of the pump for transport of glucose and other nutrients. The RDA of sodium is not established, but a sensible estimate would be around 2500mg.
Problems associated with excess sodium include hypertention and edema. Deficits, although rare, can possibly lead to excessive vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, nausea, abdominal and muscle cramping, plus convulsions.

FLUID AND ELECTROLYTE BALANCE:
Dehydration may occur as a result of excessive NaCl intake. However when sodium intake is too low, solute loss, water retention, or both can occur. When this is combined with a deficiency of aldesterone (Addison's disease), there is excessive ADH release.

REGULATION OF SODIUM BALANCE
Despite the crucial impotance of sodium, sodium receptors that specifically monitor Na+ levels in body fluids have not been found. Regulation of the sodium-water balance is inseperably linked to blood pressure and blood volume, and involves a variety of neural and hormonal controls. Na+ reabsorption does dictates that nearly all Na+ in the urinary filtrate will be absorbed. A complicated balance and interaction between aldesterone, sodium and potassium exists(the sodium potassium pump being extremely important). However I wont go into this, as I have probably bored you totears by now! Likewise, there is much to be said on the reabsorption of water and nutrients (including glucose amino acids, lactate, vitamins and most cations) in respect to passive and secondary active transport via the sodium-potassium pump and sodium reabsorption via primary active transport - but I'l leave it there for now.

 

[Nicorette]

Thank you everyone for the highly informative answers.

I asked the question because I’m a total salt person. If I don’t consume enough salt I'll start to crave junk food.

Salt does make me feel bloated at times, and I know I can contribute that to water retention, but I know I’ll pee or sweat it out either way. Basically retaining fat is what scares me-not water.