# Sweating out the salt

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweating-out-the-salt/541271>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 30, 2010, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweating-out-the-salt/541271 "2010-05-30T05:57:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![antonio107](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ea924/32.png) [@antonio107](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antonio107)\
**Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweating-out-the-salt/541271/1 "2010-05-30T05:57:40Z")

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(If this belongs in a different sub-forum, I apologize)

So, Cecil was kind enough to answer my inquiry about hypertension [here](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2913/can-high-blood-pressure-be-reduced-through-bloodletting). In a nutshell, it’s the salt, not the quantity of blood, that seems to be the problem. Gotcha.

Cecil also contends, in a related article, that [taking a schvitz is good for you](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2896/does-a-sauna-or-steam-room-do-you-any-good) (or least claims that it’s possible that it’s good for you).

Suppose I had high blood pressure (I don’t). Could I sweat out my excess salt? I know of cyclist friends who complain about white salty residue across their backs from long workouts. If you sit in a sauna, grab some water, and repeat, will you lose a significant amount of salt? Is this a practical way of lowering your salt, in lieu of significant dietary changes?

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**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\
**Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweating-out-the-salt/541271/2 "2010-05-30T11:19:54Z")

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Yes, you can lose a lot of salt in a sauna. Whether it’s a ‘practical’ method of doing so (and thence to lower your blood pressure) would seem to depend on some ‘real world’ considerations. Not only is there a significant time commitment, there’s also the logistical difficulty in finding a sauna that’s close to your home or work, and is open at a time that’s convenient for you.

One thing to keep in mind is that the rapid and substantial salt loss that occurs from having a sauna _may_ induce changes to your hormones that will tend to raise your blood pressure and stimulate your body to hold on to more salt. If this occurs, I doubt it would be dangerous, but it might tend to offset any benefit from taking a schvitz in the first place. (for those interested, I am thinking of a _potential_ activation of the [renin angiotensin system](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renin-angiotensin_system) as well as a reflex increase in [catecholamine](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catecholamine) levels)