Does Chronic Low Sodium Cause POTS?

[WanderWonder]

Does chronic Low sodium cause POTS, or is it only that those with it need more sodium? Does anyone track their sodium  intake?
I realized I've only been taking in less than 1,000mg a day, possibly less, since I don't eat processed food. The recommended is about 1,500 - 2,300. For people with POTS it's about 3,000 and up. I'm wondering if I can "cure" my POTS simply by getting in the recommended amount. Has anyone experienced that?

[Sushi]

2 hours ago, WanderWonder said:

The recommended is about 1,500 - 2,300. For people with POTS it's about 3,000 and up. I'm wondering if I can "cure" my POTS simply by getting in the recommended amount. Has anyone experienced that?

I doubt if you could “cure” yourself, but taking in extra salt generally helps dysautonomia patients. When you say “recommended “ amount, it would need to be the amount recommended for dysautonomia patients, not the general public. For individual recommendations it would be good to ask your doctor. I find that my orthostatic symptoms are much worse if I don’t load salt. Both my cardiologists have told me to do so as I have low blood volume that was documented through a procedure.

[WanderWonder]

@Sushi
Thanks for your input. I hear there are different types of POTS, some that can be caused by underlying things, and fixing that underlying things can make it go away. I used to have these same symptoms in my teens, but they went away 100% for a good decade, then mysteriously came back. I'm hoping to get back to whatever was working for that decade.

I guess in any case it won't hurt my me to actually get the recommended amount for the general public and go from there!

 

[songcanary]

I loved your question.  My situation was similar.  For 25 years I did not cook with or add salt because my husband was hypertensive.  My serum sodium was always normal.  But when I finally got diagnosed after three miserable years, my doctor told me to drink salt water every day.  With the very first sip I could actually feel it tingle as it traveled through my body.  It was such a great feeling because I knew it was going to help me.  I had been salt deprived all that time and didn't know it.  I wouldn't use the word 'cure', but I can say that in my case, salt was a major factor in my recovery.  

I recently stopped drinking salt water after eight years because my blood pressure was actually going a little too high.  Who knew lol?  Now I am at a normal pressure and I feel fine.  Best to you!

[WanderWonder]

@songcanary
Thank you, that sounds promising! Now what I think about it, back in my teens I was eating more home cooking that didn't have much salt in it. Then I moved out and ate out more which might mean I was getting more sodium back then. This past few years when symptoms started again, I had begun to eat healthier again...and that's around the same time the POTS started.

It could be all wishful thinking though! Anyways, I'll report back if it works for me.

 

[Pistol]

@WanderWonder - to the best of my knowledge low sodium levels do not cause POTS but increasing salt in your diet can improve orthostatic intolerance and low BP and tachycardia. I was severely symptomatic in my Teens, got better and then became disabled in my 40's. I realized in retrospect that I had craved salt all of my life ( I used to chug soy sauce as a child ) and always preferred salty treats over sweets. I believe the body craves what it lacks and salt truly helps many dysautonomia sufferers.