why do we need sodium?

Answer 1

In relation to the body/A&P, sodium is responsible for the regulation of a number of functions, such as in nerves and muscles. Without an adequate level of sodium in your body, you would experience an increase in heart rate & light-headedness, as a decrease in sodium leads to a decrease in blood volume.

Answer 2

Why Do You Need Sodium

Answer 3

Salt because salt is an essential component of the human diet.

Sometimes the two terms, "salt" and "sodium" are used interchangeably, but technically this is not correct. "Salt" is sodium chloride. Sodium is an essential nutrient, a mineral that the body cannot manufacture itself but which is required for life itself and good health. Sodium is easily absorbed and is active in the absorption of other nutrients in the small intestine. Sodium is the major extracellular electrolyte responsible for regulating water balance, pH, and osmotic pressure. It is important in nerve conduction. Because of sodium's importance to the body, several interacting mechanisms guard against under-consumption of salt and its threat to your body's nerves and muscles and interference with the sodium-potassium "pump" which adjusts intra- and extra-cellular pressures. If your salt intake varies widely, these mechanisms activate to assure that your body remains healthy, maintaining a relatively constant blood pressure. Chloride, too, is essential to good health. It preserves acid-base balance in the body, aids potassium absorption, supplies the essence of digestive stomach acid, and enhances the ability of the blood to carry carbon dioxide from respiring tissues to the lungs. Salt has been a valuable weapon in our public health campaign against iodine deficiency disorders (IDD), iodizing salt has virtually eliminated IDD in many other areas of the world.

Answer 4

there are only a handful of foods that do not contain it. sodium is very essential to your health. it is just a means of not exceeded the limit of a healthy amount

Answer 5

without it and other ions such as potassium you cannot have the electrical impulse that creates thought. your heart can't beat, and there is no insentive for transport of things across membranes

Answer 6

depends on what its used for, in the human body it is part of electrolytes that are essential to the body functioning the way it should.

Answer 7

Probably not in our bodies, sodium isn't necessary, however it is used as a preservative.

Answer 8

without it we wouldent have a thing called sodium chloride...AKA table salt...also with out sodium...the oceans would all dry up