Aliquot #124: How much sodium do you actually need?
Update: 2025-03-28
Description
Sodium keeps our hearts beating, our muscles moving, and our nerves firing—but it’s also one of the most debated nutrients in health. While sodium is essential for survival, too much or too little can tip the scales toward problems like high blood pressure or fatigue.
The key to understanding sodium lies in the bigger picture: genetics, lifestyle, and its delicate balance with potassium. These factors shape how sodium affects each person—whether they’re an athlete sweating it out or someone managing blood pressure with age.
In this Aliquot, I explore the ins and outs of sodium.
This episode includes several key discussion points:
The key to understanding sodium lies in the bigger picture: genetics, lifestyle, and its delicate balance with potassium. These factors shape how sodium affects each person—whether they’re an athlete sweating it out or someone managing blood pressure with age.
In this Aliquot, I explore the ins and outs of sodium.
This episode includes several key discussion points:
- 00:01:02 - Is sodium unfairly maligned?
- 00:02:25 - What regulates your sensitivity to salt?
- 00:04:33 - Does excess salt cause high blood pressure?
- 00:05:09 - Are processed foods driving your sodium intake?
- 00:06:47 - What science says about salt and blood pressure
- 00:07:42 - How common is salt sensitivity — and what causes it?
- 00:10:27 - Why potassium counteracts salt’s effects
- 00:13:32 - Rhonda’s take on electrolyte supplements
- 00:14:54 - What’s the optimal salt intake — and is the RDA too low?
- 00:17:02 - Why aging makes you more sensitive to salt
- 00:18:48 - Top potassium-rich foods
- 00:20:36 - Are some prone to low sodium?
- 00:21:10 - Why fasting may increase your sodium needs
This Aliquot features segments from the following episodes and Q&As with Dr. Rhonda Patrick. Watch the full session and access show notes here:
- Q&A #35 with Dr. Rhonda Patrick (4/30/22)
- Q&A #63 with Dr. Rhonda Patrick (10/12/24)
- Importance of electrolyte supplementation for fasting | Rhonda Patrick
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