Can drinking alcohol cause low sodium?

Answer 1

Alcohol is a diuretic, and could cause low sodium if a person avoided salt for a prolonged period, especially if they drank lots of water.

If you are pregnant, you should not be drinking at all.

Answer 2

Yes, somewhat--- but it is NOT that simple!

Sodium and potassium have an inverse relationship. When one is up, the other is down. When sodium rises very high, potassium falls. But water by itself cannot increase potassium--- so if you drink more water to drop your sodium, your body won't balance the inverse relationship it needs.

So you should always talk to your doctor about how to safely reduce your sodium and how much water you should drink. The doctor might prescribe potassium replacement medication which will help your body reduce the sodium naturally, along with normal fluid intake.

NOTE: It is not just water that affects electrolytes, but all fluids.

Answer 3

Alcohol in and of itself does not contain sodium, but sodium is present in some Alcoholic Beverages.