14 Common Causes of Low Sodium Levels

When a person has low sodium levels, it is called hyponatremia. Most of the time, these low levels of sodium will be discovered through a laboratory test of the blood. The main issue in many cases is there is too much water in the blood. This dilutes the value of Na. When too much water moves into the cells it can cause the cells to swell. The swelling will cause the biggest problems.

Some of the problems that might occur as a result of this swelling are changes in your mental status. These changes may result in seizures and, in more serious cases, a coma. Multiple diseases can cause low sodium levels. With help from a medical professional, most people will fully recover from hyponatremia. This can become a serious health issue, which is why getting medical help is important. Here are 14 common causes of low sodium levels. 

1. Too Much Water

If you have read anything about how much water you should drink, you likely know that the recommended amount is often eight glasses per day. However, medical professionals also agree that it does not need to be this exact amount of water per day to remain healthy. Other factors come into play when it comes to the amount of water that you should be drinking.

Your activity levels, as well as the environment that you are in, also play a role in how much water you should be consuming. Drinking too much water can have negative side effects. When you drink too much water, it can remove some essential nutrients from the body through increased urination. One of the main causes of low sodium levels in the blood is too much water. Too much water can water the blood down, which may result in low sodium levels when the blood is tested.