Does salt water make you throw up? (Dangers of drinking salt water)

In this brief guide, we will answer the question “Does salt water make you throw up?” and discuss whether salt water can dehydrate you or not.

Does salt water make you throw up?

Yes, salt water can make you throw up. Body needs salt but only in small amounts but if you consume too much of it, it could be dangerous. Some people with eating disorders may use salt to throw up but it is very unhealthy. High concentration can send signals to the vomiting center in the brain to induce nausea and vomiting so as to get rid of it. 

However, by the time vomiting is induced, a lot of salt may have already been absorbed leading to hypernatremia. 

Does salt make you thirsty?

Yes, consuming too much salt can make you thirsty. When you eat too much salt, sodium levels in your bloodstream increase. This increased saltiness sends signals to the thirst center in the brain, which then increases thirst so that you drink water and the balance inside the body is restored. 

Does salt water dehydrate you?

Yes, drinking salt water can dehydrate you. When you drink a lot of salt water, the higher concentration of salt outside the cells will pull out water from our cells leaving them dehydrated. This is why humans can not drink seawater as the salt content of seawater is very high.

Does salt make you fat?

Salt does not have any effect directly on fat and weight gain but it can make you gain weight indirectly through water retention. What it does is, when you take a lot of salt, your body makes you feel thirsty so that you drink water and everything stays balanced. 

When you do drink water, your body holds onto that water. So this water retention is what can make you gain weight. 

Does salt have calories?

No, salt does not have any calories at all. If you add it to your food, the total calorie count of your food would not increase because of salt. 

Is taking too much salt bad for you?

Yes, taking too much salt in your diet is bad for you. An average human only needs about 1500 milligrams of sodium per day and if you consume more than this on a regular basis, you may face some immediate and long term side effects of it.

Although sodium and chloride both are essential for the body to maintain the electrolyte balance and proper nerve function, you should take it in moderation.

Some short term effects of taking too much salt are as follows.

  • Taking too much salt can lead to water retention in your body. You may feel like your stomach is bloated and your hands, feet or face is puffy. You may even weigh more than before due to all the water weight.
  • It can also cause a rise in your blood pressure.
  • It can make you feel so thirsty because a lot of sodium can leave you dehydrated so you end up drinking a lot of water.
  • Your urine frequency may also increase because since the sodium will leave you dehydrated, you will be drinking a lot more water.

How to cut out salt from your diet?

  • Cut down on processed foods like chips, ready made meals, pastas, and sugary drinks.
  • Make your meals at home from scratch and add less salt.
  • Use spices other than salt to make your dish flavorful.
  • Make it a habit of eating less salty foods.

Find out more about the harmful effects of taking too much salt here.

Other FAQs about Salt that you may be interested in.

Does salt turn into sugar?

Does salt water boil faster than freshwater?

Does salt water conduct electricity?

Conclusion

In this brief guide, we answered the question “Does salt water make you throw up?” and discussed whether salt water can dehydrate you or not.

Citations

https://healthcare.utah.edu/healthfeed/postings/2016/08/salt_poisoning.php

https://carekees.com/does-salt-water-make-you-throw-up/

https://sciencing.com/drinking-salt-water-dehydrate-you-6454208.html

https://indianapublicmedia.org/amomentofscience/why-salt-makes-you-thirsty.php

https://recipes.howstuffworks.com/food-facts/why-does-salt-make-thirsty.htm

https://www.healthline.com/health/type-2-diabetes/can-you-get-diabetes-from-salt#:~:text=Sodium%20may%20not%20cause%20diabetes,of%20salt%20in%20your%20diet.

https://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-too-much-salt#:~:text=Long%2DTerm%20Effects%20of%20Too%20Much%20Salt&text=It%20might%20raise%20your%20chances,%2C%20stomach%20cancer%2C%20and%20stroke.

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References

1.-

METHENY, Norma A.; KRIEGER, Mary M. Salt toxicity: a systematic review and case reports. Journal of Emergency Nursing, v. 46, n. 4, p. 428-439, 2020.

2.-

ADROGUE, Horacio J.; MADIAS, Nicolaos E. Hypernatremia. New England Journal of Medicine, v. 342, n. 20, p. 1493-1499, 2000.

3.-

Metheny, N. A., & Krieger, M. M.  Salt Toxicity: A Systematic Review and Case Reports. Journal of Emergency Nursing. 2020.

4.-

Agócs R, Sugár D, Szabó AJ. Is too much salt harmful? Yes. Pediatr Nephrol.35 (9) :1777-1785. 2020.