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Posted

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?

Posted
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.

Posted

@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!

 

Posted

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!

Posted

@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.

 

Posted

@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. 

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