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- FUNCTION-
-
- Sodium primarily regulates
- blood pressure and fluid
- olume in the body. It also
- helps maintain acid-base
- balance essential to muscle
- contraction and nerve trans-
- mission. blood pressure can
- become elevated in people
- who are sensitive to sodium.
-
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- FOOD SOURCES-
-
- Table salt, prepared foods,
- cheese, smoked meats,
- soups, and salty snacks.
-
-
- RISKS WITH EXCESS-
-
- There is no toxic level of so-
- dium as long as a person's
- water intake is adequate for
- the kidneys to excrete the
- excess. For those people
- who are sensitive, sodium
- can raise blood pressure
- and fluid retention. The FDA
- states that diets low in so-
- dium may reduce the risk of
- high blood pressure, which
- is also associated with many
- other factors.
-
-
- RISKS WITH DEFICIENCY-
-
- Sodium deficiency is very
- rare in healthy people, but
- could occur from starvation,
- fasting, vomiting, excessive
- perspiration, or diarrhea.
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