He has written for Foreign Policy,The Guardian, Foreign Affairs, Politico and a host of other publications. The Interpreter Joins RFE/RL. We are proud to announce that, starting January 1, 2016, The Interpreter will be a special project of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
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 deficiency, condition in which sodium is insufficient or is not utilized properly. Sodium is an element that functions with chlorine and bicarbonate to maintain a balance of positive and negative ions (electrically charged particles) in body fluids and tissues. The body receives sodium primarily in the form of table salt (sodium chloride). Sodium, the principal extracellular ion, has the property of holding water in body tissues. In persons with circulatory problems, excess sodium may result in edema, or retention of water in the body. On the other hand, too little sodium in the diet disturbs the tissue-water and acid-base balance that is important to good nutritional status.