Osteoporosis and Hyponatremia

We’ve been told for decades to avoid salt. Perhaps that made some more sense when Americans were eating a lot of canned goods and food with preservatives. That is no longer the case. Americans have been improving their food choices (although still tons of room for improvement). Avoidance of salt in an otherwise healthy diet is not great advice. We need salt in our diet, and avoidance of salt can lead to hyponatremia.

If you’ve seen marathon runners collapse, it’s because of hyponatremia. Hyponatremia is a state where the concentration of salt in the body is abnormally low. Most are familiar with dehydration and it’s likely more common, however hyponatremia is not talked about quite as much and can be deadly. As discussed in this article, it can cause confusion, nausea, headache, and swelling of the brain which can lead to death if severe enough. Another problem that it has been linked to is osteoporosis. 

Our bones are storage reservoirs for minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, and salt. This is what makes them hard. When our fluids are deficient in a mineral, the bone will release what is needed. This is a constant dynamic process of minerals coming and going. Osteoblasts form bone and osteoclasts break them down. 

Dozens of studies have confirmed that there is a significant association between hyponatremia and osteoporosis, and many of these studies conclude that the likely mechanism is due to bone salts being released to restore balance.

So, unless you have high blood pressure, salt your food to taste. If you have high blood pressure, work on getting that down first. High blood pressure is usually caused by insulin resistance and adopting a low carb diet may improve symptoms. Of course, consult with your physician or a dietician first.