Chronic stress, salt & fluid retention

It's ironic, and goes to show how individual we can be...

• Sodium (salt) supports chronic stress by helping our depleted adrenals, which manage our stress hormones

• But in cases of sympathetic overactivation, an imbalanced hormonal environment can cause sodium to contribute to fluid retention. It's nuanced

In cases of adrenal insufficiency or dysfunction, such as in chronic stress or adrenal fatigue, the adrenal glands can produce insufficient aldosterone, a hormone that regulates sodium retention and fluid balance. The body then struggles to retain enough sodium, leading to fatigue, low blood pressure, dizziness and salt cravings. Increasing sodium intake can help restore proper hydration, blood pressure and adrenal function

But long-term stress can also increase aldosterone, and cortisol! This promotes excessive sodium retention and reduces its excretion, even when sodium intake is normal or slightly elevated. So it's not necessarily sodium itself, but the hormonal response to stress that overrides normal balance and causes fluid retention

Balance is key. And testing can help

• For someone at the beginning of chronic stress with adrenal insufficiency (low aldosterone), moderate sodium intake is essential to support adrenal function and prevent sodium loss

• For someone in a prolonged chronic stress with high aldosterone and cortisol, excess sodium can exacerbate fluid retention, and the focus should shift toward managing stress and restoring hormonal balance

How different we can be with our needs at different points in our lives!