Benefits of Salt: How This Mineral Supports Stress Resilience and Blood Sugar Balance

The benefits of salt often go unnoticed because salt has been cast as the villain of heart health for years. Many of us have been taught to fear salt as a driver of high blood pressure and heart disease, with a low-sodium diet being considered the healthiest option for everyone. But the truth is much more nuanced. 

Salt is absolutely essential, especially when it comes to stress, hormone function, and metabolic health. In fact, when really diving into the science, we see that salt (specifically sodium), plays a critical role in how our body manages stress and stabilizes blood sugar. Let’s dive in!

The Many Roles of Sodium in the Body

When we think of salt or table salt, we’re talking about sodium chloride. There are various types of “salts” in the body, but for this discussion, we’re focusing specifically on sodium and dietary salt as a source of this essential mineral.

Saying sodium is essential means that our bodies cannot make it, and we cannot survive without it. As one of the major electrolytes, sodium functions like a sparkplug, driving the chemical reactions that power every cell. 

Sodium is key for maintaining fluid balance, sending nerve impulses through the body, and supporting muscle function. It also helps regulate blood pressure, maintain acid-base balance, and facilitates nutrient absorption into our cells. A good rule to remember is that “where salt goes, water follows.” This makes sodium crucial for keeping cells hydrated and energized.

How are Sodium Levels Controlled in the Body?

To better understand sodium’s effects on the body, we first need to look at how sodium levels are controlled. Ready for a quick lesson in biochemistry? 

The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) is one of the body’s main tools for managing sodium balance and blood pressure. This system kicks into gear when blood pressure drops, often due to dehydration, excessive urination, sweating, or low sodium levels.

The RAAS system all begins in the kidneys, which sense this blood pressure drop and release an enzyme called renin. This triggers a hormonal cascade involving various enzymes and hormones – angiotensinogen, angiotensin I, angiotensin II, and aldosterone. In the end, aldosterone tells the kidneys to retain sodium and water, helping to restore fluid and blood pressure balance. 

This cascade is critical for our survival, especially during short-term times of fluid loss and stress. However, if RAAS is chronically activated, due to low sodium intake or dehydration, it can significantly impact metabolism.

The Salt-Blood Sugar Connection

Within the RAAS system, angiotensin II constricts blood vessels, stimulates thirst, and signals the adrenal glands to release aldosterone for sodium and water retention – all which help increase blood pressure. That being said, the hormones involved in the RAAS system do more than just regulate fluid balance. 

Both angiotensin II and aldosterone promote the production of ceramides, which are fats that can fuel inflammation and impair insulin signaling. High levels of ceramides in the bloodstream (different from ceramides in skincare) have been linked to heart disease, diabetes, and other metabolic conditions.

Both RAAS hormones also block something called GLUT-4, a critical transporter that allows glucose (sugar) to enter into cells. When glucose uptake is impaired, sugar stays in the bloodstream instead of entering cells. This leads to elevated insulin levels, insulin resistance, and inadequate energy delivery to the cells that need it.

These effects – increased ceramide production and blocking GLUT-4 – directly contribute to insulin resistance. Angiotensin II and aldosterone also stimulate fat cell growth, inhibit fat breakdown, and increase inflammation within fat tissue. All of these are key features of metabolic dysfunction that can actually further insulin resistance.

These effects are amplified when the RAAS system is chronically activated, like in cases of low sodium, low blood pressure, dehydration, and chronic stress. Low-sodium diets are often recommended for those with high blood pressure or metabolic issues. Ironically, while these diets may reduce blood pressure in the short term, they can worsen insulin resistance and increase long-term health risks.

Salt and the Stress Response

Your adrenal glands are central to sodium balance. They produce aldosterone as well as cortisol, our primary stress hormone. 

When you’re under chronic stress, cortisol levels stay elevated and your body burns through sodium more rapidly, leading to salt cravings, fatigue, dizziness, and low blood pressure. This drives a chronically activated RAAS system, further impacting blood sugar and fat metabolism. Insulin and cortisol are tightly correlated, with elevated insulin stimulating cortisol production and vice versa. Chronically elevated cortisol can be driven by and also fuels insulin resistance.

Prolonged stress and elevated cortisol production takes a toll on the adrenals, eventually leading to low cortisol levels. This is often referred to as “adrenal fatigue.” In this case, sodium becomes even more important. Replenishing sodium through the diet can help support adrenal recovery, stress resilience, and energy levels.

Finding Your Sodium Sweet Spot

When intentionally increasing salt intake to support electrolyte balance, it’s important to recognize that not all salt is created equal. Refined salt (like most table salt) is stripped of minerals and often contains additives. In contrast, unrefined salts like Celtic salt or Redmond Real Salt provide natural trace minerals that support overall health.

Individuals with cortisol imbalances, whether too high or too low, can benefit from incorporating unrefined salt into their diet. This could be you if you experience fatigue, burnout, mid-section weight gain, mood swings, anxiety, salt cravings, and trouble sleeping. 

Sodium needs can increase under several circumstances. For example, low-carbohydrate or ketogenic diets tend to increase sodium loss, making replenishment especially important. Athletes, individuals who sweat heavily, and those with certain medical conditions such as POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome – a condition of nervous system dysfunction) also require more sodium to replace what’s been lost and to support the nervous system.

While general guidelines recommend staying under 2,300 mg (about 1 teaspoon) of sodium per day, this is likely far too low for most individuals. Especially for those under high stress or with higher sodium needs, daily intake closer to 4,500 mg per day is beneficial. In fact, research shows that people consuming less than 4,000 mg of sodium per day had higher rates of heart disease and mortality compared to those consuming 4,000-6,000 mg daily. Intake over 6,000 mg per day showed a slight increase in health risks, making 4,000-6,000 mg per day a sweet spot for most. 

Rethinking Salt for Resilient Health

Needless to say, salt isn’t something to fear. It’s a tool for supporting balanced blood sugar and supporting a healthy stress response. Especially for those with high stress, low blood pressure, or metabolic dysfunction, slowly and steadily increasing your unrefined salt intake can really support getting your body back into balance. 

Sodium balance, cortisol levels, and thyroid function are all interconnected, with imbalance in one area contributing to dysfunction in the others. For example, cortisol imbalances can affect thyroid function, and low thyroid function can lead to reduced sodium levels. Download our Functional Thyroid Foods Grocery List to kick start supporting your thyroid health, stress response, and energy levels through nutrition!

Written by Romana Brennan, MS, RDN