by Lawrence Wilson, MD

SODIUM

SODIUM (Na)

Sodium is the solubility and volatility mineral. It is found mainly outside the cells or extracellularly. Although sodium does not participate in a single enzyme in the body, it is the body’s great solvent, meaning it dissolves many chemicals. It is also a major regulator of the fluid balance, pH and other fluid-related aspects of the body. These are its major functions.

The great solvent. Sodium is a monovalent element, meaning it has one free electron. It dissolves many compounds made of calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, zinc and other minerals.

The great alkalizer. Sodium is a very alkaline-forming element. It is used to help maintain an alkaline medium for nutrient exchange in the blood and the interstitial fluid.

Sodium and the adrenals. Sodium is regulated primarily by the adrenal glands. High sodium is associated with excessive adrenal activity. Low hair tissue sodium is associated with adrenal weakness, fatigue and burnout.

Sodium, the electrical conductor. Sodium is one of finest conductors of electricity. The body is an electrochemical factory. Sodium represents one pole of the human “battery”. Sodium is outside of the cells while the other pole of the battery is potassium inside the cells. This can become complex. However, it can be summarized by stating that when the hair sodium/potassium ratio is normal or a little high, the electrical potential across the cell membranes are higher. When the ratio is low, an electrical discharge is occurring and the potential tends to be lower. This is why the hair sodium/potassium ratio is called the vitality ratio and so many illnesses are associated with a low sodium/potassium ratio. It can also help one understand why inflammation and an acute stress response are associated with an elevated sodium/potassium ratio.

Sodium, the great regulator. Sodium also regulates the pH to some degree, blood and other fluid viscosity, CO2 transport, and the solubility of proteins and organic acids in the body. It influences stomach acid levels, blood pressure and even blood sugar through its effect on the adrenal glands. Its effects on cell membranes include the regulation of membrane permeability to a degree, sodium pump action, neuromuscular irritability and the speed and quality of nerve impulse conduction. Sodium also indirectly regulates parts of the brain, including the pituitary gland. It also directly and indirectly regulates thyroid, pancreas and other glandular activity.

Sodium and sweating. The body conserves sodium superbly. For example, if one sweats regularly, as occurs with sauna therapy, the sodium content of the sweat begins to decrease as the body acclimates to sweating. This is a survival mechanism that works well for those, for example, who do physical work and sweat often.

Sodium and high blood pressure. One of the problems in some cases of high blood pressure is too much sodium in the blood. This causes excessive water retention and higher blood volume that, in turn, increases the blood pressure. However, there are many other causes of high blood pressure discussed in Chapter 30. Common refined table salt is a poisonous junk food that should be avoided completely. A quality sea salt, such as Real Salt, often does not raise blood pressure and is helpful to remineralize the body. Reducing high blood pressure often requires much more than salt restriction in order to reduce toxic metal accumulation in the arteries and especially in the kidneys.

Sodium and stomach acid. Sodium imbalance is related to stomach acid disturbances in some cases. Apparently, sodium chloride can be changed into hydrochloric acid in the stomach. Dr. Eck observed that when the sodium level is low in the hair tissue, hydrochloric acid is often low in the person’s stomach. This helps explain widespread stomach acid deficiencies in the population, which can cause many digestive problems. True fast oxidizers may have an opposite situation, with high tissue sodium levels and too much stomach acid. The chemical reaction involved in the conversion of sodium chloride to hydrochloric acid is as follows: NaCl + H20 = HCl + NaOH. This is a critical reaction in the human digestive tract that regulates the pH of the stomach and can activate or fail to activate the rest of the digestive tract as well.

GERD and too much stomach acid in slow oxidizers. Gastric reflux disease, or GERD, is often not a problem of too much sodium or too much stomach acid. The problem is the stomach protrudes through the diaphragm, termed a hiatal hernia. This can often be easily solved by reducing the hernia with one’s fingers. Chapter 26 gives the basic procedure to reduce a hiatal hernia. Eliminating wheat and other excessive carbohydrates from the diet, along with not straining at the stool, are also helpful for some people.

Sodium as an addictive mineral. Sodium can cause a type of ‘high’ or elevated mood. This is related to aldosterone secretion and adrenal glandular activity. This can cause cravings for salt in some people and is one reason that salty food is served in restaurants and elsewhere.

SODIUM AND HAIR ANALYSIS. An ideal adult hair sodium level, according to Dr. Eck, is about 25 mg% or 250 parts per million. It tends to be higher in babies and small children. Women tend to have a lower value than men, in general, due to overall weaker adrenal glandular activity. The level can vary from 1 mg% to over 1200 mg%.

The adrenals and kidneys regulate the hair sodium level. The adrenal hormone aldosterone regulates the tissue sodium level in large part, along with the rennin-angiotensin mechanism of the kidneys. Other factors such as the kidney energy in Chinese terminology also regulates the sodium level, perhaps through the adrenal glands in some way. A low hair sodium level is associated with weak adrenal activity, slow oxidation and an exhaustion stage of stress. It indicates sodium loss through the kidneys and is usually affected little or not at all by eating salt, for example. Eating sea salt, however, will often make these individuals feel somewhat better as it replaces some of the sodium lost in the urine.

Elevated hair sodium. An elevated hair sodium level is a feature of fast oxidation and an alarm stage of stress. The cause is usually higher aldosterone secretion by the adrenal glands. This may be due to acute stress or to emotions such as anger or fright. Cadmium and other toxic metals in the kidneys, along with kidney infections, can also raise the hair tissue sodium level.

SODIUM SYNERGISTS AND ANTAGONISTS. Sodium is involved with every other mineral in the body. It can be both synergistic and antagonistic with most of them at one time or another. Zinc tends to lower sodium, while copper tends to raise sodium in relationship to potassium. Potassium always moves higher and lower with sodium in healthy people. However, sodium and potassium also antagonize each other electrically, for example, as explained above.

Calcium and magnesium are synergists in many biochemical reactions involving energy production and other body functions. However, in terms of the oxidation rate, they are sodium antagonists. They are divalent elements while sodium is a monovalent element. When they decrease, sodium tends to increase in the hair tissue, and vice versa. Phosphorus and other trace elements are also closely related to sodium in many ways. They are synergists at some times and antagonists at others. Phosphorus is a synergist in pH regulation, for example.

Bicarbonate is also a synergist in carbon dioxide transport in the body because it forms NaHCO3 (sodium bicarbonate) if adequate sodium is available. When sodium is low, carbon dioxide can build up in the tissues to a degree. This occurs in most slow oxidizers. One of Dr. George Watson’s original ways to test the oxidation rate involved measuring the serum CO2 level. The toxic metals are the only minerals that are almost exclusively sodium antagonists. Toxic metals have no place in the body, whereas sodium is one of its most essential minerals.

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