Sodium

The sodium is chiefly found in extracellular fluids and very little inside the cells. This is in reverse order as compared to potassium, which is mainly found inside the cells and very little in the extracellular fluids. Sodium is a highly reactive, alkaline, silver-white, metallic element. It is soft and malleable. Sodium is almost completely absorbed from the gastro-intestinal tract, by vomiting and diarrhoea can cause substantial losses. Sodium is necessary for digestion, and elimination of carbon dioxide. The sodium in plasma provides over 90% of the total base of the body. It works in the body either as sodium ions, or as sodium compounds. It is essential for the normal functions of the cells, for the contraction of the muscles, initiates and maintains contraction of heart, excites nerves, being neuro-excitatory as opposed to calcium ions, helps in glucose absorption for the transportation of other nutrients across cell membranes. Sodium occurs in many foods like milk and vegetables, and is added as common salt during cooking. It is present in wholemeal flour, bread, celery, bananas, water, milk, lotus dry stem, pulses, and legumes, green and leafy vegetables; beetroot, fruits, fish and meat, and all ordinary articles of diet. Deficiency of sodium is caused with excessive sweating, prolonged use of diuretics, or chronic diarrhoea. The daily requirement as sodium chloride is 10-15 gm.


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