People are adding more and more salt to their water, hoping for better hydration: Does this make sense?

Salt and water have become many people's first choice for a morning drink, after a story spread online that this drink improves hydration of the entire body.

Salt and water is the new magic hydration drink recommended by influencers, and more and more people are adding salt to their morning glass of water. However, it can be dangerous.

Influencers claim that it is the best way to improve your daily routine and that salt helps to better hydrate, digest, and detoxify the body.

One TikTok influencer even said, “If you’re drinking plain water, you’re probably not hydrating properly.” However, experts have warned about excessive sodium intake for years and recommend that daily intake not exceed 2.300 mg.

Too much sodium can raise blood pressure and increase the risk of stroke and heart attack.

However, some others add up to two teaspoons of salt to their water, which is 3.360 mg of sodium, more than 1.000 mg above the recommended daily amount in just one glass of water, reports the Telegraph.

So what's the truth? Does salt in water improve hydration or can it harm your health? Experts say this trend is completely unhelpful.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dr. Lisa Young 🍴PhD, RDN (@drlisayoung)

The kidneys naturally remove toxins on their own.

"It's not beneficial," says dietitian Lisa Young. Plain water is sufficient for hydration, and adding salt can even be harmful to health.

According to the American Heart Association, too much sodium can lead to swelling and bloating, weight gain, and trouble sleeping. What's more, too much sodium can be dangerous for certain groups of people, especially those with high blood pressure or kidney problems.

As for the claim that salt in water helps detoxify the body, Young points out that the kidneys already naturally remove toxins on their own, so there is no need to "help" the body further.

What about digestion?

Young says any benefits likely come from the water itself, not the salt.

Why do people believe that salt helps with hydration?

This trend is likely related to another obsession – electrolytes.

Electrolytes, such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium, are important minerals that help the body function properly. However, according to Yang, most people get them from food and don't need to consume them in addition through drinks.

For example, sodium is found in bread, sauces, and spices, while fruits and vegetables are rich sources of potassium and magnesium.

The only people who need additional electrolytes are athletes who train intensely and for a long time (e.g. marathon runners, long-distance cyclists) and people who suffer from hyponatremia (low blood sodium), which can be a result of some medications.

“It’s almost impossible not to get enough sodium through your diet,” says Young. “Drinking plain water is more than enough.”

If you want to add salt to your water, Yang recommends no more than an eighth of a teaspoon. But if you're concerned about getting your electrolytes, an electrolyte drink is a better choice than salt water because it contains other minerals, like potassium and magnesium, not just sodium.

Sodium intake

Sodium is important for regulating fluids in the body, but we already get enough of it through our diet. Drinking salt water can easily put you over the recommended limit.

The biggest sources of sodium in food are processed meats (ham, sausage, cheese, chips and similar foods), ready-made sauces and salad dressings, bread, frozen ready-made meals, soups, shrimp and fast foods like pizza. Some argue that people who eat mostly fresh, unprocessed foods do not consume enough sodium. However, Yang dismisses this as incorrect.

“My diet is 90% whole grains and I get a lot of sodium,” she says. “Salt and sugar are the most common preservatives – we consume far more of them than we need.” /Telegraph/