Micronutrients - substances that are contained in the body in negligible amounts. But even such a volume can affect our general condition, the functioning of organs and systems. These elements are primarily potassium, calcium, sodium. The norm in the blood, the norm of the daily use of the element are the main topics of our today's story. Let's analyze how it is useful for the body, what products and preparations it contains, what deviations from standard indicators indicate.
What is this substance?
The chemical element is considered one of the most famous in the periodic table. It is understandable - common soda and s alt are obtained from a mineral base, the main component of which is sodium metal. Products with its content are widely applicable in everyday life, industry, pharmacology. This is "caustic soda", washing, soda ash, baking soda, table (rock) s alt.
There is sodium inour body. It is he who, interacting with chlorine, maintains osmotic pressure in the lymphatic and blood vessels. Paired with potassium, it regulates the electrolyte balance at the cell level. Again, together with chlorine, it creates a suitable electrolyte environment so that nerve impulses in our body pass freely and ensure normal muscle contraction.
Sodium and potassium in our blood, intercellular fluids are interdependent. If there is a lack of potassium, then you need to reduce the level of sodium. And vice versa. If the body has a lot of potassium and chlorine, then they will make it difficult for the absorption of sodium. But an excess of calcium itself leads to an acceleration of the removal of calcium from the vital system.
Vitamins K and D directly contribute to better absorption, absorption of sodium. It is also important to consume a normal amount of liquid. Recall that the daily norm for an adult is 1.5-2 liters per day.
Important functions in the body
Let's systematize all the vital and useful roles that this microelement performs in our body:
- Support and regulation of normal pressure in cells and intercellular fluids. This is necessary for the penetration of the necessary molecules through the cell membranes.
- As the regulation of the volume of water in the body, and the ability to retain it. This prevents dehydration of cellular matter.
- Participation in the production of the hormone vasopressin (constricts blood vessels, increases the volume of fluid inside the cells), natriuretic peptides(relax the vascular walls, remove excess fluid from the body), adrenaline.
- Takes part in the formation of tubules of cell membranes. It is through them that the necessary useful substances enter the particle.
- Responsible for the penetration of glucose into the cell mass - it saturates matter with energy.
- Regulates the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, which means digestion.
- Activates the synthesis of digestive enzymes, enzymes.
- Maintains pH balance in the human body.
- Responsible for the tone of the walls of blood vessels, the excitability of neuromuscular matter.
- Regulates the smooth functioning of the kidneys. In particular, their output function.
Human benefits
There are a number of useful qualities of sodium and its compounds for the human body:
- Prevents muscle spasms.
- Responsible for the work of the vascular system.
- Prevents overheating of the human body (regulates perspiration).
- Helps remove carbon dioxide from cellular matter.
- Responsible for digestion of food (production of necessary enzymes).
- Helps maintain dissolved calcium in the blood.
- Affects the transmission of nerve impulses, brain function.
Sodium rich foods
The human body does not produce sodium on its own - we need the intake of this element from the outside. The easiest way to meet your daily sodium intake is to eat a certain amount of s alt. Or drink a specific dose of mineral water withsodium chloride.
However, it is better to replenish your daily intake of sodium by including foods rich in this element in your diet. This is the following:
- Dairy, meat products. Cow's milk, cottage cheese, pork, beef, veal, chicken and chicken meat.
- Plant products. String beans, sauerkraut, chicory, beets, potatoes, spinach.
- Seafood, fish. Flounder, crayfish, mussels, sardines, squid, shrimp.
- Fruits, berries, fruits. Bananas, black currants, oranges, apricots, apples.
Seafood will be the "champions" in sodium content from this entire list. Seaweed and soy sauce stand out. High sodium content in beans and canned cabbage.
In hot weather with increased sweating, the lack of sodium in the body can be easily replenished with canned fish - tuna, herring. S alty foods, protein foods significantly impair the absorption of this element. Nutritionists advise combining "sodium" foods with foods that have an acidic environment (containing chlorine, sulfur, phosphates), as well as foods rich in vitamins D and K.
To preserve sodium in food, it is not recommended to soak or thaw food for a long time before cooking. Braising and roasting are the best. Do not store food outdoors under direct light.
Normal consumption of an element per day
Let's imagine the norms of the daily intake of a trace element, identified by Russianscientists.
Children (in mg per day):
- 0-3 mo - 200.
- 4-6 mo - 280.
- 7-12mths - 350.
- 1-3 years - 500.
- 3-7 years - 700.
- 7-11 years - 1000.
- 12-14 years - 1100.
- 15-18 years - 1300.
The daily sodium intake per day for men and women is the same. This is 1300 mg. However, American nutritionists consider normal levels of 500 mg / day. 1500 mg is the maximum allowable figures.
It should be noted that in some cases the sodium rate must be increased. First of all, people involved in heavy physical labor, professional athletes (due to increased sweating). It is also recommended for those taking diuretics and survivors of food poisoning.
Sodium preparations
Let's present a list of the most common means:
- Sodium chloride. For food poisoning, burns, excessive sweating.
- Sodium bicarbonate. With infectious diseases, intoxications, acidosis, increased acidity of the stomach, stomatitis.
- Bura. Antiseptic ointment for external use.
- Sodium sulfate. Laxative.
- Sodium thiosulfate. Anti-inflammatory agent, used for allergies, neuralgia, scabies, arthritis.
- Sodium nitrite. Vasodilator.
- Metamizole sodium. Pain reliever and antipyretic.
Blood sodium
Many people are interestedlevels of sodium in the blood. In our body, the element is considered the main component of extracellular fluids. 75% of all sodium in the body is contained outside of cell particles and only 25% is contained within them. Excesses of this element are excreted primarily in the urine (from 85% to 90%). A small amount of sodium is excreted in sweat and feces.
Why is it important in our body? Sodium is responsible for the following:
- Support blood pH and osmotic pressure.
- Direct participation in the work of the cardiac, nervous, vascular, muscular systems.
It is important to observe the norm of sodium in the blood. After all, an increase in the concentration of the element inside the cells will lead to chronic edema, and a decrease will cause dehydration of the body. If the content of the element is increased inside the blood vessels, then this leads to an outflow of fluid from the tissues, an increase in the circulating blood mass. The result is consistently high blood pressure.
Blood test for sodium
To find out if your personal indicators correspond, for example, to the norms of potassium and sodium, you just need to take a blood test (ionogram). The fence is carried out from a vein. It is recommended to donate blood in the morning, on an empty stomach.
Preparation for analysis is simple: exclude excessive drinking a day before the procedure, both too s alty and unleavened food. It is also important to protect yourself from intense physical exertion - excessive sweating the day before (sodium is also excreted in sweat) can give a false test result.
How specialists are determined by matching indicatorspatient, say, the rate of sodium in the blood of women? In modern laboratories, two research methods are used - an automated electrode method and a manual titration method. Which one is better? Experts highlight the first. Automated electrode technique is more accurate, with high specificity and sensitivity. In addition, it allows you to get results faster.
Norm of sodium, potassium, calcium in the blood
Now let's move on to specific numbers. However, we note that only a qualified specialist can correctly analyze how your indicators correspond to the standards of potassium and sodium in the blood for your age, gender! We will give only general values without taking into account individual characteristics.
Standardized data:
- General allowable values: 123-140 mmol/L.
- The norm of sodium in the blood of women and men: 136-145 mmol / l. As you can see, the figures for both sexes are the same.
- Normal sodium in children: 138-145 mmol/l.
We will also provide data on other vital elements:
- Potassium: 3.5-5.5 mmol/L.
- Calcium in an adult: 2.1-2.6 mmol/L.
- Calcium in a newborn: 1.75 mmol/l.
- Preterm infant calcium: less than 1.25 mmol/L.
- Chlorine: 95-107 mmol/l.
- Magnesium: 0.8-1.2 mmol/l.
- Phosphorus: 0.8-1.45 mmol/L.
- Iron in women: 14.5-17.5 mmol/L.
- Iron in men: 17.5-22.5 mmol/L.
Now let'slet's determine what the deviations in the smaller and larger sides are talking about, what is their cause and external manifestations.
Causes of low blood sodium
We figured out the norms of sodium in the blood of adults and children. What causes the indicators below the standard? There are several possible reasons:
- Keeping a s alt-free diet.
- Insufficient water intake, excessive sweating.
- Using high-dose diuretics.
- Droppers with solutions that contain a small percentage of sodium.
- Burns.
- Pathologies affecting the adrenal glands.
- Peritonitis.
- Poisoning, intoxication of the body.
- Renal pathology - nephritis, kidney failure.
Sodium deficiency symptoms
Reduced deviation from the norm of sodium in men and women outwardly manifests itself the same way. The first symptoms are already noticeable at a level of 110-120 mmol / l. These manifestations are:
- Low blood pressure.
- Puffiness.
- Muscle weakness.
- Impaired reflexes.
- Nausea.
- Reluctance to drink.
- Lack of appetite.
- Reduced excretion of urine by the body.
- Bouts of nausea.
- Apathy.
- Stupor.
- Loss of consciousness.
- Symptoms of a disease that causes a decrease in the level of the element.
Consequence of low blood sodium
With the indicated sodium norm in women and men, childrenit is considered that indicators less than 135 mmol/l will be low. This leads to a corresponding pathology - hyponatremia.
It differs in several forms:
- Hypovolemic. Here, the lack of circulating blood in the body is diagnosed. A person will miss sodium more than water.
- Euvolemic. The amount of circulating blood mass is normal, there is a lack of sodium.
- Hypervolemic. There is an excess of interstitial fluid.
- False. Medical test results are incorrect.
Pathology leads to weight loss, kidney failure. Speaking about the general condition, we note that the lack of sodium is also the cause of prolonged depression in the patient.
Causes of high blood sodium
Elevated levels of the element in human blood - indicators above 150 mmol / l. Numerous pathologies, conditions and diseases lead to this state:
- Insufficient fluid intake.
- diabetes insipidus.
- Excessive sodium in food and drink. For example, the predominance of s alty foods in the diet.
- Excessive loss of water through the skin. For example, profuse sweating.
- Excessive loss of water through the lungs. Often observed in patients on mechanical ventilation (artificial lung ventilation).
- Itsenko-Cushing Syndrome.
- Interstitial nephritis.
- Severe stress and nervous overload.
- Polyuria (frequent and profuse urination).
- Surgical interventions, postoperativerecovery.
- Hypothalamus damage.
- Reception and administration of a number of drugs - glucocorticoids, chlorpropamide, narcotic substances, vaccistin, large volumes of saline.
External manifestations of excess sodium
Excess sodium in the body can be recognized both by external symptoms and as a result of body examinations:
- Increased urination - up to 2.5 liters per day.
- Permanent feeling of thirst.
- Protein in urine.
- Dry skin.
- Increased body temperature, reaching a state of fever.
- Strengthening reflexes.
- Tachycardia.
- High blood pressure.
- Kidney failure.
- Convulsive syndrome.
- Drowsy.
- Stupor.
- Coma.
Consequence of high blood sodium
Knowing the norms of potassium and sodium in the blood, it is easy to determine the onset of hypernatremia. It is diagnosed with sodium levels above 150 mmol / l. Forms of hypernatremia (overabundance of sodium in the body) are as follows:
- Hypovolemic. Decreased interstitial fluid volume.
- Normovolemic. The level of sodium in the blood during the disease remains within the normal range.
Pathology leads to a change in the water balance in the body, causes the development of diseases of the circulatory system, kidneys. The load on the heart muscle increases. The condition also affects the general well-being - the patient becomes nervous andirritable.
The importance of sodium to our body cannot be overestimated. However, only the normal content of the element will be useful to a person. An excess, like a lack, is the cause and effect of serious problems in the body.
