Many people try to eat less salt, especially if they are concerned about high blood pressure or heart disease. Reducing too much sodium intake is helpful, but staying on a very low-salt diet for a long time can also have unexpected effects on your health.

According to Dr Prabhat Ranjan Sinha, Senior Consultant – Internal Medicine, Aakash Healthcare, sodium is not just a spice – it plays a vital role in maintaining fluid balance, nerve function and muscle activity. When intake becomes too low over a long period of time, the body’s delicate electrolyte balance can be disrupted. How does a long-term low-salt diet affect the body? Sodium is essential for maintaining blood volume, controlling blood pressure, and enabling nerve conduction and muscle contraction.

Dr. Sinha explains that chronically low sodium intake can lower blood pressure and impair regulation of body fluids in the kidneys.

“Over time, this puts stress on hormonal systems such as the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone pathway, which works to conserve sodium in the body,” he explained.