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1 Sodium plays a large role in fluid balance, with different variations of sodium determining the shift of water by osmosis from one area of the body to another.  Along with chloride and bicarbonate, sodium is important for the proper regulation of the acid-base balance of the body.
Sodium is equally important for heart function, but its role is different. Sodium is needed for voltage-gated sodium channels, which are also in the outer membranes of cardiac cells, but they are important for initiating the action potential and triggering contractions of the cardiac muscle fibers.lectrolytes are especially important for normal contraction of skeletal and cardiac muscle fibers. Without the appropriate balance of electrolytes such as potassium and sodium, heart contractions become abnormal and the risk of heart attack increases.