Salt Questions · Health & nutrition
What happens to your body when you eat too much salt?
Short answer
In the short term, too much salt makes you thirsty, makes your body hold extra water (bloating and puffiness), and can raise blood pressure temporarily. Over years, a high-salt diet raises the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and kidney disease. WHO links about 1.89 million deaths a year to excess sodium.
Within hours
- Thirst: extra sodium raises the concentration of your blood, which triggers thirst.
- Water retention: your kidneys hold on to water to dilute the sodium, so you may feel puffy or weigh a little more the next day.
- Blood pressure: more fluid in the bloodstream can push blood pressure up, especially in salt-sensitive people.
Over years
A diet consistently high in sodium is a major cause of high blood pressure, which in turn raises the risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure and kidney disease. The World Health Organization estimates that about 1.89 million deaths each year are associated with eating too much sodium.
How much is too much?
WHO advises adults to eat less than 5 g of salt (2,000 mg of sodium) a day; the U.S. limit is 2,300 mg of sodium. Most people eat far more, mostly from packaged and restaurant foods rather than the salt shaker.
Related on The Salt Almanac
More health & nutrition questions
- How much sodium is in a teaspoon of table salt?
- What are the signs of a sodium deficiency?
- Why does salt cause water retention and bloating?
- Does drinking water flush out excess sodium?
- What is the recommended daily intake of salt for adults?
- How does salt affect blood pressure?
Cite this page
For school projects and reports. Teachers often prefer the original sources too: see the list below.
The Salt Almanac. (2026, November 8). What happens to your body when you eat too much salt. https://saltalmanac.com/answers/what-happens-to-your-body-when-you-eat-too-much-salt
“What happens to your body when you eat too much salt.” The Salt Almanac, 8 Nov. 2026, saltalmanac.com/answers/what-happens-to-your-body-when-you-eat-too-much-salt. Accessed [today's date].
“What happens to your body when you eat too much salt.” The Salt Almanac. Last modified November 8, 2026. https://saltalmanac.com/answers/what-happens-to-your-body-when-you-eat-too-much-salt.
Original sources
- World Health Organization. Sodium reduction (fact sheet). https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/sodium-reduction
- American Heart Association. How much sodium should I eat per day? https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/sodium/how-much-sodium-should-i-eat-per-day
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Sodium in your diet. https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-education-resources-materials/sodium-your-diet