Sodium in Drinking Water: How It Affects Your Health and How to Remove It
Understanding Sodium in Drinking Water
Drinking water should be free from impurities and contaminants to prevent any adverse effects on health and for improved aesthetics. Drinking water directly impacts human lives, skin, gut health, heart health, circulation, kidney function, neurological function, and more; in a nutshell, pure drinking water is an integral and essential part of human lives. In order to find contamination-free, pure drinking water at home, the use of a reverse osmosis filter is one of the best methods to remove all or virtually all of the impurities and harmful chemicals, and minerals when used as directed.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “The sodium ion is ubiquitous in water. Most water supplies contain less than 20 mg of sodium per litre, but in some countries, levels can exceed 250 mg/litre. Saline intrusion, mineral deposits, seawater spray, sewage effluents, and salt used in road de-icing can all contribute significant quantities of sodium to water. In addition, water-treatment chemicals, such as sodium fluoride, sodium bicarbonate, and sodium hypochlorite, can together result in sodium levels as high as 30 mg/litre. Domestic water softeners can give levels of over 300 mg/litre, but much lower ones are usually found.”
There is no standard amount of sodium in drinking water, yet the World Health Organization (WHO) and the New York State Department of Health suggest the sodium levels in water should not go beyond 20 milligrams per liter (mg/L) for individuals living on very low sodium diets. Also, as per the US Department of Health and Human Services, “most people get about 3,400 milligrams per day from the food they eat.” Most of these suggestions commonly agree on the naturally omnipresent Sodium in water and its moderate consumption for regular drinking water; however, health concerns related to sodium in drinking water are present for individuals on sodium-restricted diets or those with health concerns such as high blood pressure, heart health issues, and kidney or liver diseases.
Health Effects of Sodium in Drinking Water
Sodium is essential for the human body, but a small amount of daily intake is required for normal cell function, normal body fluid volume, and blood pressure; however, it has been observed that most individuals usually get more sodium than they need.
The World Health Organization (WHO) found in a study that “it has been estimated that a total daily intake of 120–400 mg will meet the daily needs of growing infants and young children, and 500 mg those of adults.”
In fact, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has stated that the appropriate level of sodium in the blood is approximately 154 mM, or 3,542 mg/L. Once sodium intake exceeds the recommended levels, it may become problematic, as elevated sodium concentrations can lead to increased blood pressure, fluid retention, and a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, kidney damage, and other health complications.
- Short-Term Effects
In adults, some short-term effects include mucous membrane dryness, dehydration, congestion of internal organs like the meninges and brain, violent inflammatory reaction, and gastrointestinal tract ulceration.
In other cases, it impacts the central nervous system, causing confusion, convulsions, in rare cases coma, and generalized and pulmonary edema. The high sodium intake can be deadly, too, causing respiratory failure and acute encephalopathy; in fact, a couple of medical cases have been reported after consumption of drinking water containing 3 g Na/L.
In children, acute overdoses of sodium are more susceptible than in adults, as their kidneys are not efficient enough to control sodium levels. High sodium concentration in drinking water may lead to brain thromboses, kidney lesions, coma, shrinkage of the tubular complexes of the convoluted kidney tubules, and more.
- Long-Term Health Risks
Chronic high sodium intake in adults has been associated with adverse health effects, including age-related elevations in blood pressure and the development of essential hypertension. Persistently elevated blood pressure (defined as systolic ≥140 mm Hg or diastolic ≥90 mm Hg) can progress over time and contribute to serious conditions such as coronary heart disease (CHD), congestive heart failure, stroke, renal insufficiency, and peripheral vascular disease. Additionally, excessive sodium intake has been linked to increased left ventricular mass (cardiac muscle thickening), which further elevates blood pressure and increases long-term cardiovascular risk.
In contrast, children appear to be less susceptible to the health effects of long-term high sodium exposure through drinking water. Multiple studies have found no consistent association between sodium concentrations in drinking water—ranging from 5 to 583 mg/L—and elevated blood pressure in children. Only a limited number of studies have reported any correlation between high sodium levels in drinking water and increased blood pressure in pediatric populations.
How to Test for Sodium in Drinking Water
Sodium in drinking water may impact human health in the long run. There are many ways to test the sodium in drinking water, such as with the help of a flame photometer, drinking water test kits, a portable sodium analyzer, and even shipping the water sample to an authorized and certified laboratory for testing and analysis work. The photoelectric flame photometer is an instrument that measures the concentration of metal ions, including sodium, in water by detecting the light emitted from a sample. A portable sodium analyzer makes it much easier to test on-site sodium concentration in the water sample due to its portability and handy nature. One can get help from an authorized and certified laboratory simply by shipping the water sample to the laboratory and getting it tested for sodium and other impurities.
How to Remove Sodium from Drinking Water
Reverse osmosis (RO) filtration is an effective method for eliminating sodium from drinking water. A reverse osmosis system usually includes multiple stages of filtration, purification, and in some cases, sterilization and enhancement, to both remove the sodium and other impurities and dispense refreshing and highly pure drinking water. A reverse osmosis filter works by forcing water through a semipermeable RO membrane under pressure. The RO membrane has tiny pores that permit only water molecules to pass through while blocking larger contaminants such as heavy metals, sodium salts, bacteria, and dissolved solids. Residential RO systems are typically installed as point-of-use applications to purify water at a certain point or location in a house; however, whole house RO systems do exist but are more commonly used in homes with private wells due to the elevated cost and water waste..
Conclusion
Water sources and reservoirs usually get many impurities that are transferred to potable or drinking water. When at an elevated level, Sodium must be removed from water to prevent short-term and long-term health effects. The high-dose intake of sodium through drinking water has many harmful health concerns, like high blood pressure, coronary heart disease (CHD), congestive heart failure, and stroke. Considering the health risks associated with sodium impurity in drinking water, the use of a reverse osmosis filter is recommended. It uses the semipermeable RO membrane to pass drinking water under high pressure and remove sodium impurities. Sodium concentrations in water can be accurately measured through laboratory testing, and reverse osmosis (RO) filtration may be employed to produce clean, palatable water suitable for household consumption. Access to pure and safe drinking water is essential for maintaining human health and well-being.