Salt And Sodium - Figuring out the differences

 

Conversion tables for Sodium and Salt

 

Recommendations from the Medical Literature

The amount in bold is what the recommendation was in the article. The other information in the row was calculated using the chemistry values and equations.

Number of teaspoons of table salt	Number of salt tablets	Mg of salt (grams = gm)	mg of sodium (Na)	mmol of Sodium	mEq sodium	Reference
1 to ~ 1 ½ tsp	6-8 tablets	6-8 gm	2300 - 3090 mg	--	--	Fu 2010*
1 ½ tsp	9 tablets	9000 gm (9 gm)	3450 mg	150 mmol	--	Jacob
1 ½-2 ½  tsp	8 - 16 tablets	7500-15000 (7.5-15 gm)	3000 – 6000 gm ( 3-6 gm)	--	--	Low 2008 (1-2 gm  sodium (3 times a day.
~2 tsp	12 tablets	12000 mg (12 gm)	4600 mg	-	200	Johnson 2008
1 ½-2 ½  tsp (150-250 mEq)	9-15 tablets	10–20 g	3450-5750	--	150–250	Low 2009** Figueroa 2010**

*Dr. Levine and colleagues in Texas are cautious about using salt tablets, see concerns Salt. They recommend using table salt. (Personal communication)

**There are 2 different recommendations in this article. We are clarifying the recommendation. We suggest working with the lower numbers - 9-15 gm of salt, until the higher numbers of 10-20 are confirmed.

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References

1. Figueroa JJ, Basford JR, Low PA. Preventing and treating orthostatic hypotension: As easy as A, B, C. Cleve Clin J Med. 2010 May;77(5):298-306. Abstract  Article PDF

2. Freeman, Roy. Neurogenic orthostatic hypotension.NEJM 2008;358(6):615-624. Abstract
3. Claydon VE, Hainsworth R. Salt supplementation improves orthostatic cerebral and peripheral vascular control in patients with syncope. Hypertension. 2004 Apr;43(4):809-13. Epub 2004 Feb 23.
4. El-Sayed H, Hainsworth R. Salt supplementation increases plasma volume and orthostatic tolerance in patients with unexplained syncope. Heart 1996; 75:134–140.
5. Thieben MJ, Sandroni P, Sletten DM, et al. Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome: The Mayo Clinic experience. Mayo Clin Proc. 2007;82:308–313
6. Personal experience of author.
7. Wieling W, van Lieshout JJ, Hainsworth R. Extracellular fluid volume expansion in patients with posturally related syncope. Clin Auton Res 2002;12:242-9.
8. Recommendations on salt. UK. Consensus Action on Salt & Health. Last accessed September 10, 2012.http://www.actiononsalt.org.uk/salthealth/Recommendations%20on%20salt/index.html
9. Rowe, Peter.General Information Brochure on Orthostatic Intolerance and Its Treatment. June 2010. Accessed from http://www.cfids.org/webinar/cfsinfo2010.pdf. Accessed May 28.2012.
10. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. 2011. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 24. Nutrient Data Laboratory Home Page,http://www.ars.usda.gov/ba/bhnrc/ndl
11. Low PA and Singer W. Update on Management of Neurogenic Orthostatic Hypotension. Lancet Neurol. 2008 May; 7(5): 451–458. Abstract. Article PDF.
12. Low PA, Sandroni P, Joyner and Shen W. Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). J Cardopvasc Electrophysiology 2009; 20:352-358.  Abstract.  Article PDF
13. Jacob G, Costa F, Shannon JR, Robertson RM et al. The Neuropathic Postural Tachycardia Syndrome. N Engl J Med 2000;343: 1008-14.   Abstract.   Article PDF.
14. Fu Q, Vangundy TB, Galbreath MM, Shibata S, Jain M, Hastings JL, Bhella PS, Levine BD. Cardiac origins of the postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2010 Jun 22;55(25):2858-68. Abstract. Article PDF

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