The Hidden Dangers of Low-Salt Diets (Especially for Men in Midlife) - PART 7
We’ve hinted that very low salt intake can be harmful, but let’s spell it out clearly. What actually happens to your body when you don’t get enough sodium? This is especially pertinent for men who have dutifully cut out salt for years – you may recognise some of these symptoms in yourself.
Here are 9 key risks and effects of chronic sodium insufficiency or aggressive salt restriction, along with signs to watch for:
1. Hormonal Havoc (RAAS Activation):
When sodium is scarce, your body thinks you might be dehydrated or volume-depleted, and it mounts a defence. The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) kicks into high gear [1]. Renin (an enzyme from the kidneys) increases, which leads to more angiotensin II (a potent vasoconstrictor), which then triggers aldosterone (a hormone that makes your kidneys hold onto sodium and water). This cascade raises blood pressure and fluid retention as a means to protect you from low salt intake.
It’s an ironic twist: the very system that blood pressure medications often try to block (ACE inhibitors, ARBs, etc., target this pathway) is stimulated by a low-salt diet.
Studies have documented that renin and aldosterone levels rise significantly on low-sodium diets[2]. This means your heart and vessels are being squeezed and stressed by hormones, which could negate any BP-lowering from a lack of salt. It’s like the body fights back against your effort to starve it of salt, and in doing so, it may strain the cardiovascular system in different ways.
2. Stress Hormone Spike (Adrenaline/Noradrenaline):
Along with RAAS, low salt can also elevate sympathetic nervous system activity, your fight-or-flight hormones.
Norepinephrine (noradrenaline) levels can increase on a low-salt regimen [3]. This can lead to a higher resting heart rate and possibly feelings of jitteriness or anxiety. In fact, research shows that resting heart rate tends to increase when sodium is very low[4].
A rising resting heart rate is not generally a good sign; it’s a known risk factor for cardiac events. Many people report heart palpitations or a racing heart on an ultra-low salt diet, especially if they are also low in fluids. If you’ve ever cut salt and felt more on edge or noticed your pulse racing, it might not be in your head; it could be your physiology responding to salt deprivation.
3. Insulin Resistance and Metabolic Changes:
Surprisingly, too little salt may impair your metabolic health. Several studies have linked low sodium intake to insulin resistance, meaning the body’s cells don’t respond as well to insulin, and blood sugar regulation worsens[5].
One hypothesis is that the spike in stress hormones like norepinephrine (and possibly an increase in cortisol if the body is stressed) can make cells more insulin-resistant. There’s also evidence that low salt diets can lower levels of a hormone called adiponectin and raise triglycerides, both changes that are associated with insulin resistance and fat storage tendencies[6].
Healthline noted that in some trials, those on a low-sodium diet had higher fasting insulin levels than those on normal diets[7]. Insulin resistance is a major driver of type 2 diabetes, obesity, and, yes, hypertension itself. So in a cruel twist, cutting salt too much might worsen the underlying metabolic issues that contribute to high blood pressure in the first place!
For midlife men concerned about diabetes or the dreaded “metabolic syndrome,” this is an important point: a moderate salt intake might actually be better for metabolic health than an excessively low one.
4. Increased LDL Cholesterol & Triglycerides:
Another little-known effect: very low salt diets can raise your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and triglyceride levels[6]. Research by Dr. Niels Graudal and others found that compared to normal salt intake, low-salt diets led to significant increases in cholesterol and TGs[6].
The exact mechanism isn’t fully clear, but it may relate to the body perceiving a stress state or changes in insulin signalling. Regardless, higher LDL and triglycerides are not what you want for heart health. It’s as if cutting salt might trade one heart risk (a small blood pressure reduction) for another (worse lipid profile). This could help explain why some observational studies find worse outcomes with low sodium; those people might have unknowingly shifted their risk factors in the wrong direction.
5. Fatigue, Low Energy, and Brain Fog:
Sodium is crucial for maintaining blood volume and circulation. If you consistently undershoot on salt, you might experience low blood pressure or orthostatic hypotension (feeling dizzy when standing up). Even if your BP is okay, low salt often leads to general fatigue and brain fog.
Commonly reported symptoms of not getting enough sodium include: persistent tiredness, difficulty concentrating, headaches, and a sense of weakness or lethargy[8][9].
Men in midlife might attribute some of these to “just getting older” or stress, but it could simply be that your body’s electrolytes are out of balance. The brain needs a proper sodium-potassium gradient to fire neurons; too little salt can literally impair neural function, leading to that foggy, spaced-out feeling[10].
If you’ve gone on a strict low-salt diet and found you’re dragging through your workouts or hitting an afternoon energy slump harder than before, salt might be the missing piece. (This is one reason the keto diet community quickly learned to increase salt; many people on low-carb felt terrible until they upped their sodium, because low-carb inherently causes the body to lose sodium. Read more here)
6. Muscle Cramps and Weakness:
Sodium works in concert with potassium and calcium to generate muscle contractions. An imbalance can easily trigger muscle cramps, spasms, or general weakness.
Athletes know that if you only chug water and don’t replace salt, you’re begging for cramps. But even non-athletes on a low-sodium regimen may experience leg cramps (often at night) or muscle aches. If you’re waking up with Charley horses or your strength training is suffering due to cramps, consider whether you’ve been skimping on salt.
Often, adding a bit of salt (and magnesium) back into the diet relieves these cramps. In fact, a salt deficiency is medically termed hyponatremia (low sodium level in blood), and one of the symptoms is muscle weakness and spasms[11].
7. Headaches and Nausea:
Electrolyte imbalances from too little salt can mimic dehydration. You might get frequent headaches, nausea, or dizziness when sodium is low[11][12]. Some people on low-salt diets feel nauseated during intense exercise or on hot days; this often improves by consuming some salt (hence sports drinks include sodium).
The headaches from low salt are usually dull and diffuse (not one-sided like migraines, though low salt can trigger migraines in susceptible folks due to blood vessel changes). If you notice headaches improving when you have a salty meal or two, that’s a clue that salt was the issue.
8. Hyponatremia (Severe Salt/Sodium Deficiency):
In extreme cases, not consuming enough salt and losing a lot through sweat or overhydration can lead to hyponatremia, where blood sodium drops dangerously low. This is more common in endurance athletes (marathon runners who only drink water and don’t replace electrolytes) or in older individuals on low-salt diets who then become ill and dehydrated.
Symptoms of hyponatremia include confusion, severe fatigue, vomiting, seizures, and even coma[12][13]. It’s a medical emergency.
While typical daily life on a low-salt diet won’t usually cause such a crisis, it underscores that sodium is as essential as oxygen in the correct amount, too little and our bodies literally cannot function. The threshold for hyponatremia is usually defined as a serum sodium below 135 mmol/L. One doesn’t normally hit that just by diet if the kidneys are working (they’d reduce sodium excretion), but when combined with large fluid intake and sweat loss, a strict low-salt eater could put themselves at risk.
Middle-aged men engaging in endurance sports or sauna therapy while eating minimal salt should be cautious; there have been cases of fit individuals collapsing from hyponatremia because they followed misguided “no salt” advice while doing activities that purge sodium[14].
9. Lowered Libido or Testosterone?
While not as well studied, some men report that being on an overly bland, low-salt diet sapped their libido or sense of well-being. It’s plausible since chronic stress (like elevated cortisol from low salt) can suppress testosterone production.
There isn’t direct clinical research on low sodium and testosterone levels, but considering low salt can be a physiological stressor, it wouldn’t be surprising if it had indirect effects on sex hormones or thyroid function.
Anecdotally, restoring adequate salt (along with other minerals) often coincides with improved energy and vitality, which are certainly linked to healthy testosterone levels.
Signs You Might Need More Salt:
Given the above, here are some telltale signs that a man (or anyone) might actually benefit from increasing salt intake:
You often feel lightheaded or dizzy upon standing (especially if you’ve been limiting salt, this could be orthostatic hypotension from low blood volume).
You’re plagued by fatigue, low energy, or brain fog, and typical fixes (caffeine, more sleep) aren’t helping much.
You experience muscle cramps, spasms, or weakness, particularly after exercise or at night.
You crave salty foods intensely. Cravings exist for a reason; they are sometimes the body’s way of signalling a deficiency. If you’re always wanting olives, pickles, or salted nuts while on a low-salt diet, listen to your body.
You suffer from chronic headaches that improve when you consume electrolytes or salt.
You feel restless, irritable, or anxious and can’t pin down why (could be those stress hormones in overdrive due to low sodium). Some report feeling a strange internal “tension” that eases after having a salty broth.
You have constipation, yes, low sodium can slow bowel motility for some people[15]. (Sodium helps draw water into the gut; without enough, stool can become harder/drier.)
Poor exercise performance, e.g., quick exhaustion, rapid heart rate, or overheating when working out. Adequate salt is crucial for exercise capacity, especially endurance. If you notice you tire easily or recover poorly, and you’ve been eating very low salt, the two could be connected.
If several of these sound familiar, it might be time to ditch the extreme low-salt regimen and allow yourself a bit more sodium.
In my own experience, and that of many health-conscious individuals, adding back a pinch of quality salt or electrolyte to all of your drinking water can make a dramatic difference in how you feel day-to-day.
Next, we’ll discuss the importance of potassium and magnesium balance, which is impacted by your salt consumption.
