The Salt Fix. Rethinking Sodium: Why You Need More, Not Less

Today we’re tackling one of the biggest myths in modern nutrition: the idea that we need to restrict our daily sodium intake.

For years, we’ve been led to believe that salt is the bad guy—linked to high blood pressure, heart disease, and a shorter lifespan. But that’s just not the case.

Today, we’re diving into why salt isn’t the villain it’s made out to be—in fact, it’s essential, especially if you follow a low-carb, ketogenic, or Paleo diet, or if you’re using popular GLP-1 medications like semaglutide.

We’ll also spotlight a product that’s getting it right: LMNT, an electrolyte drink mix that skips the sugar and delivers the salt your body actually needs. Stick around—this episode might just change how you think about hydration for good.

The Salt Myth

Let’s start with where the myth came from.

Americans average around 3,400 mg (3.4 grams) of sodium a day, but the FDA is doubling down, pushing us to cut back to under 2,300 mg (2.4 grams).  It’s the same old anti-salt message—but is less really always better?

They claim this will save hundreds of thousands of lives by reducing heart disease risk. Sounds noble—until you actually look at the data.

Turns out, their case is built on:

• Cherry-picked epidemiology
  
  

• Exaggerated assumptions
  
  

• And some serious logical leaps
  
  

Let’s start with one of the largest global studies we have: The Intersalt Study, which looked at over 10,000 people across 48 populations. This study showed that there is no correlation between salt intake and blood pressure. In fact, the population with the highest salt intake had lower average blood pressure than the population with the least.

Or take the Framingham Offspring Study, which found that people consuming under 2.5 grams of sodium per day actually had higher blood pressure than those consuming more.

Still not convinced? A systematic review of the 2020 Cochrane Collaboration found that sodium restriction had virtually no meaningful impact on blood pressure in healthy people—and more consistent negative side effects than benefits.

And here’s the kicker: when the FDA says cutting sodium could save “500,000 lives,” that estimate is based not on sodium studies, but on data from hypertension drug trials. They essentially said: “Hey, these blood pressure meds work. So sodium restriction must work too.” That’s not science.

Now, does salt affect everyone the same? Of course not. People with chronic kidney disease or extreme hypertension might benefit from some restriction. But for the average person eating real food, staying active, or following a low-carb or GLP-1-supported lifestyle, salt is not the issue. You know what is? Sugar. A whole other podcast discussion we can have at a later date.

*Salt and Heart Health

If low-sodium diets were actually good for your heart, we’d expect to see that show up clearly in the research, right? But... we don’t. 

There was a major study published in JAMA back in 2011. Researchers looked at nearly 29,000 people with high risk for heart disease and tracked how much sodium they were consuming. And get this—the lowest risk of heart attacks, strokes, and cardiovascular death wasn’t in the low-sodium group. It was in the moderate sodium group—those eating between 4 to 6 grams per day. People eating less than that? They actually had a 19% higher risk of dying from cardiovascular causes.

And that’s not a fluke. A 2018 review—also in JAMA—found little to no solid evidence that cutting salt intake improves heart failure outcomes either.

I also want to touch on blood pressure and salt.

When you don’t get enough sodium, your body freaks out a bit. It ramps up hormones like aldosterone and renin to hold onto what little salt you have—but those same hormones also raise your blood pressure. Wild, right? Cutting salt can actually backfire for some people.

And furthermore — your bones act as a backup sodium reservoir. So when you're running low, your body pulls sodium from your bones, along with calcium and magnesium, which over time can negatively affect bone health.

Then come the symptoms: low energy, headaches, cramps, fatigue, even insomnia. If you're eating clean but feel like garbage, chances are you're not getting enough salt.

Now to be clear, I’m not saying go eat or drink an unlimited amount of salt. Too much sodium isn’t great either. But for most people—especially if you’re active or following a low-carb or ketogenic lifestyle—the sweet spot is usually somewhere around 4 to 6 grams per day. That’s just the baseline for feeling and functioning well.

 

*The Real Connection Between Salt and Hydration 

Let’s talk about hydration. It’s not just about water. You’ve probably heard that you need eight glasses of water a day—but here’s the thing: that’s way too generic. Everyone’s needs are different depending on your body weight, activity level, and environment. 

A much better starting point would be to try drinking about half your body weight in ounces of water per day—so if you weigh 160 pounds, shoot for around 80 ounces. And if you’re working out, sweating a lot, or living in a hot climate, you’ll need even more to stay properly hydrated.

Also what most people miss is that without enough sodium, your body can’t retain that water effectively. Ever felt more dehydrated after chugging a bunch of water? That’s what happens when you flush out electrolytes—especially sodium—without replenishing them.

Sodium helps regulate:

• Fluid balance
  
  

• Muscle contractions
  
  

• Nerve function
  
  

• Blood volume and pressure
  
  

If you're sweating, fasting, or simply cutting carbs, you're losing more salt than you think. And your body doesn’t store sodium—so it needs to be replenished daily.

Why Low-Carb and GLP-1 Users Need More Sodium

If you’re on a low-carb, Paleo, or keto diet, or using medications like semaglutide for weight loss, the bottom line is you need more sodium.

When you reduce your carb intake, your insulin levels drop—and that’s great for fat loss. But lower insulin also signals your kidneys to excrete more sodium. That’s why people transitioning to low-carb often feel fatigued, get muscle cramps, or experience the dreaded “keto flu.” It’s not carb withdrawal—it’s sodium depletion.

And with GLP-1 medications like semaglutide or tirzepatide, there’s an added twist: appetite drops dramatically, which means many people aren’t eating enough food to maintain electrolyte balance. Less food, fewer nutrients—including salt.

If you’re using these tools and feeling dizzy, nauseous, or weak, you may not be getting enough sodium.

LMNT 

Now let’s talk solutions.

One of the products that’s completely flipped the hydration conversation is LMNT—that’s L-M-N-T. It’s an electrolyte drink mix developed by health experts and athletes who realized that most so-called hydration drinks were full of sugar and low on actual electrolytes.

Each LMNT packet contains:

• 1000 mg of sodium
  
  

• 200 mg of potassium
  
  

• 60 mg of magnesium
  
  

Potassium teams up with sodium to keep your cells working properly—it helps your nerves fire and your muscles move. Magnesium’s like a multitasker for your body: it helps you make energy, repair DNA, build muscle, and even get better sleep. 

How Much Salt Do You Actually Need?

So, how much sodium is right for you?

It varies, but here’s a basic framework:

• The average low-carb or active adult likely needs 4,000–6,000 mg per day.
  
  

• If you’re sweating a lot or fasting, that number can go even higher.
  
  

• And if you’re on GLP-1 meds, make sure you’re intentionally adding electrolytes to your day.

Lastly, let’s talk about something you’ll see in a lot of hydration powders and supplements—like Liquid I.V.—and that’s vitamin B12. Sounds good, right? But here’s the thing: the form they use is usually something called cyanocobalamin.

Now, yeah, it’s technically B12, but it’s not the best kind. It’s synthetic, your body actually has to convert it into usable forms—like methylcobalamin—and not everyone does that well, especially if you’ve got liver issues or certain genetic mutations (e.g., MTHFR mutation).

Also, Liquid I.V. contains around 536–584 mg of sodium per serving, depending on the flavor, which is about half the amount of sodium found in LMNT. While it still supports hydration, LMNT’s higher sodium content is better suited for those needing more electrolytes, like on low-carb diets or during intense physical activity.

So the next time someone tells you to “watch your salt,” consider asking: Why? If you’re eating a whole-food diet, staying active, or managing your weight with GLP-1 meds, salt may be the very thing you're missing.

Hydration isn’t just about water—it’s about electrolyte balance. And when you get it right, your energy, cognition, and performance all go up.

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If you found this helpful, don’t forget to rate and share it with a friend who’s still drinking plain water and wondering why they don’t feel 100%. You can check out LMNT products by clicking the link in the show notes.

Have a happy, healthy week!