Question

A friend has been complaining of fatigue with activity and has been getting sick a lot lately. She has recently cut out all meat and animal products in an effort to decrease her fat intake. Which of the following minerals is your friend most likely to be deficient in that is causing her symptoms? Multiple Choice Ο Ο -Iodine Ο calclum Ο

Answer 1

1. answer is sodium

Sodium is an essential electrolyte that helps maintain the balance of water in and around your cells.

It’s important for proper muscle and nerve function.

It also helps maintain stable blood pressure levels

Common symptoms of low blood sodium include:

• weakness
• fatigue or low energy
• headache
• nausea
• vomiting
• muscle cramps or spasms
• confusion
• irritability

Causes of low sodium include:

• severe vomiting or diarrhea
• taking certain medications, including antidepressants and pain medications
• taking diuretics (water pills)
• drinking too much water during exercise (this is very rare)
• dehydration
• kidney disease or kidney failure
• liver disease
• heart problems, including congestive heart failure
• adrenal gland disorders, such as Addison’s disease, which effects your adrenal glands' ability to regulate the balance of sodium, potassium, and water in your body
• hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)
• primary polydipsia, a condition in which excess thirst makes you drink too much
• using ecstasy
• syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH), which makes your body retain water
• diabetes insipidus, a rare condition in which the body doesn’t make antidiuretic hormone
• Cushing's syndrome, which causes high cortisol levels (this is rare)

Certain factors increase your risk of low blood sodium, including:

• old age
• diuretic use
• antidepressant use
• being a high-performance athlete
• living in a warmer climate
• eating a low-sodium diet
• having heart failure, kidney disease, syndrome of inappropriate anti-diuretic hormone (SIADH), or other conditions

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