Sodium deficiency symptoms

Sodium deficiency symptoms include weakness, gas, nausea, vomiting, heart arrhythmias, attention deficit, poor memory, and difficulty in concentration. If this occurs in conjunction with dehydration, water should be given before the sodium deficit is taken care of. 

Essentiality and Toxicity for Man For humans, sodium (and chlorine) are essential nutrients, the deficiency of which frequently and acutely leads to premature death, usually from circulatory failure. The second most frequent consequence is diarrhea. The physiology of man is, consequently, characterized by multiple control mechanisms which act to maintain and control the NaCl content and concentrations within the body. Sodium deficiency symptoms in humans are not well known nonetheless, a sodium chloride deficit as a common cause of death is quite treatable with minimum effort, provided that some basic principles are remembered. Body weight change is the best indicator of a sodium deficit. Except in the presence of imminent circulatory collapse, oral treatment is usually possible. Except in case of cholera, the colon usually responds to aldosterone, and quite low sodium concentrations are adequate for the rehydration solutions. In the case of cholera, near-isotonic solutions are necessary (Harper et al. 1997). 

Absorption, Metabolism, Excretion Functions of Sodium Deficiency Symptoms Interrelationships... 

Sodium deficiency in animals occurs in many parts of the world, but especially in the tropical areas of Africa and the arid inland areas of Australia, where pastures contain very low concentrations of the element. A deficiency of sodium in the diet leads to a lowering of the osmotic pressure, which results in dehydration of the body. Symptoms of sodium deficiency include poor growth and reduced utilisation of digested proteins and energy. In hens, egg production and growth are adversely affected. Rats given experimental diets low in sodium had eye lesions and reproductive disturbances, and eventually died. 

Combined water and salt depletion is a syndrome commonly encountered in clinical medicine. Manifestations are those of both sodium and water deficiency and include anorexia, nausea, weakness, muscle cramps, peripheral vascular collapse (sodium deficiency), thirst, and oliguria (water deficiency). Ingestion of water alone increases the severity %f symptoms. Heat cramps, which occur in persons working in very hot environments, are an example of this syndrome. Deficiency may be prevented by the addition of salt to drinking water to make a final concentration of 0.1 %. 

Vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes— Studies have shown that during moderate to severe stresses, more zinc, copper, magnesium, and calcium are lost in the urine. Furthermore, stress results in altered blood levels of vitamins A and C, and of zinc and iron. Also, part of the response to stress includes water and sodium retention, via veisopressin and aldosterone secretion. As for the water-soluble vitamins—thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine (B-6), pantothenic acid, folic acid, and vitamin C stress increases their requirement. However, no dietary recommendations are made for these nutrients for individuals under stressful situations. Still, it seems wise to supply some supplementation before deficiency symptoms appear. 

Specific symptoms of sodium excess are not known. High levels of sodium reduced calcium uptake in some cases (Leh 1973). Citrus and stone fruit species are particularly susceptible to salt damage. The leaf damage sometimes starts with chlorotic blotches, which are followed by necrotic lesions at the leaf tips and margins or between the veins. The leaves of lucerne growing on saline soils turn reddish, and the leafstalks collapse, possibly indicating calcium deficiency (Bergmann 1992). 

Dry eye syndrome, which affects approximately 10-20% of the adult population, is a clinical condition of ocular discomfort caused by deficient tear production and/or excessive tear evaporation. Artificial tears are often effective for relieving the symptoms of mild and moderate dry eye syndrome by replenishing the deficient tear volume. Sodium hyaluronate has been proposed as a component of artificial tears because of its viscoelastic rheology. 

Distinguish symptoms of excess and deficient sodium levels. Identify diagnostic values associated with sodium imbalances. 

The only disorder of the y-glutamyl cycle for which treatment principles have been developed is glutathione synthetase deficiency (9.2) [1]. The initial symptoms in the neonatal period may be metabolic acidosis and jaundice. Acidosis usually needs to be corrected with sodium bicarbonate, THAM or sodium citrate. Patients may benefit from oral administration of vitamin E (10 mg/kg/day) and vitamin C (100 mg/kg/day). Trials have also been made with N-acetylcysteine and glutathione esters which increased glutathione in leukocytes and plasma. Both these compounds lead to increased intracellular levels of glutathione. However, no decrease in the excretion of 5-oxoprolinuria has been reported. 

A summary of individual mineral functions, deficiency and toxicity symptoms, recommended daily allowance, and sources is given in Table M-25, Mineral Table. (Calcium, phosphorus, sodium, and chlorine are listed in this order, and first, under macrominerals, then the rest of the minerals are listed alphabetically under their respective categories—as macromineral or micromineral.)... 

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