Salt Won’t Fix Your Digestion (Sorry)… Here’s What Actually Might

Somewhere along the way, the internet decided the solution to basically everything is “add salt.” Tired? Salt. Anxious? Salt. Bloated and constipated? Definitely salt (apparently).

Meanwhile, most of us are already swimming in sodium like a pretzel in a bathtub, and yet bloating, slow transit, and “why am I like this” digestion are still wildly common. If more salt was the magic key, America would be a nation of regular, unbothered bowel movements… and that is clearly not the timeline we’re living in.

So let’s talk about what’s actually going on because digestion isn’t a one mineral show. It’s more like a group project, and sodium is not doing all the work.

The minerals your gut actually cares about (and what they do)

Here’s the quick, non-boring version:

• Chloride: Helps make stomach acid. Low stomach acid can mean sluggish protein digestion and more “why does everything feel like it’s just sitting there?” energy.
• Sodium: Helps you absorb nutrients (like glucose and amino acids) through the gut wall. Important, yes. But you’re probably not short on it.
• Magnesium: The chill friend. It helps smooth muscle relax and keeps things moving (aka peristalsis). It also pulls water into the intestines, which can soften stool. Very relevant if you’re living that dry, stuck life.
• Potassium: Big deal for muscle contractions—including the ones that move food through your intestines. Low potassium can = sluggish motility.
• Calcium: Plays a role in stomach acid output and gut barrier function (tight junctions and all that).

If you’re thinking, “Cool, so should I just buy a different salt?”… hold that thought.

The real drama: your sodium to potassium balance

This is where a lot of the “salt for digestion” advice faceplants.

A typical Western diet tends to be high sodium, low potassium. Not because you’re salting your eggs like a maniac, but because most sodium comes from packaged/restaurant food, not the salt shaker.

And when sodium is high relative to potassium, your gut motility and absorption can get cranky because your body is basically trying to run electrical gradients and muscle contractions on a wonky battery.

If anything, a lot of people don’t need less salt. They need more potassium (and often magnesium) to balance what’s already happening.

Will fancy salt fix it? (A moment of silence for the pink salt hype)

I love a cute jar of flaky sea salt as much as the next person who’s been influenced by a kitchen TikTok… but “mineral salt” is still mostly sodium chloride.

Yes, some salts (like Celtic sea salt or bamboo salt) have slightly more magnesium and potassium than regular table salt.

No, it’s not enough to matter in real life unless you plan on eating several tablespoons of salt a day, which would be… a choice. A salty, swollen, regret filled choice.

Bottom line: switching salt types usually won’t change digestion much if your overall sodium intake stays the same.

One important trade off though: iodine

If you ditch iodized table salt for fancy non-iodized salts, make sure you’re getting iodine elsewhere (a couple servings a week is usually doable), like:

• fish/seafood
• dairy
• eggs
• seaweed (if you’re into that vibe)

When “more salt” can actually backfire (and yes, this happens)

This is the part salt evangelists tend to skip because it’s less fun than posting electrolyte selfies.

For a lot of people, high sodium intake can nudge the gut in the wrong direction including shifts in gut bacteria and the compounds they make that support your gut lining. Also, too much sodium can mess with fluid balance and make your system feel… off.

What I’ve personally seen (and yes, I’ve tried this on myself too) is that some people add salty water thinking it’ll “wake up digestion,” and instead they get:

• more thirst
• more bloating
• worse reflux
• and a general feeling of “my body is not applauding this experiment”

Want a better “mineral” trick? Mineral water

Some studies show sulfate rich mineral water (think 300-500 ml daily for several weeks) can improve stool consistency and frequency likely because it delivers a mix of minerals (like magnesium and bicarbonate) without you mainlining extra sodium.

Adding salt to tap water doesn’t recreate that effect. (I know. Would’ve been convenient.)

When adding salt actually makes sense (yes, sometimes it does)

I’m not anti-salt. I’m anti throwing salt at every problem like it’s glitter.

Extra salt is more likely to help if you truly have electrolyte losses, like:

• heavy sweating / heat exposure
• recent vomiting or diarrhea
• intense endurance exercise
• a genuinely low baseline sodium intake

And it’s much less likely to be a good idea if you have kidney disease, hypertension, heart failure, cirrhosis, or you’re on meds that affect sodium/potassium handling (more on that in a second).

If you want a quick reality check: track a normal day of eating (labels count!) and see where your sodium lands. If you’re already near ~2,000 mg/day, “just add salt” is probably not your digestive missing piece.

Red flags: if you try extra salt and any of this happens, stop

If you’re experimenting with mineral salt or salty drinks, hit pause if you notice:

• Swelling (ankles/face, rings suddenly tight, shoes feeling rude)
• Blood pressure jump (around 10+ mmHg higher than your usual)
• Excess thirst + frequent urination
• Worse reflux, nausea, or heartburn

And if you mess with potassium (like salt substitutes) and get muscle weakness or an irregular heartbeat that’s not “detox,” that’s “please get medical care.”

Who should avoid salt/potassium experiments without medical guidance

Anyone with chronic kidney disease, hypertension, heart failure, cirrhosis, or anyone taking ACE inhibitors, ARBs, diuretics, or lithium talk to your clinician before playing with electrolytes. (This is the boring but important part.)

Okay, so what should you do instead? A simple 2 step experiment

No martyrdom. No 47 supplements. Just a calm little test.

Step 1 (2 weeks): Add potassium daily

Keep your usual diet the same, but add one potassium rich food each day, like:

• a potato with the skin
• beans/lentils
• leafy greens
• avocado
• citrus, banana (easy mode)

If your digestion noticeably improves within 2-4 weeks, congratulations: your gut may have been begging for potassium, not more salt.

Step 2 (2 weeks): Add magnesium through food (or supplement carefully)

Try adding magnesium rich foods daily:

• pumpkin seeds
• almonds
• spinach
• black beans
• dark chocolate (yes, it counts don’t be weird about it)

If constipation is a major issue and food isn’t cutting it, magnesium supplements can help:

• Start low: 100-200 mg elemental magnesium/day
• Magnesium citrate tends to help constipation more
• Magnesium glycinate is often gentler (better if you’re prone to loose stools)
• Work up slowly; more is not always better (trust me)

Give each change at least 2 weeks before you decide it “did nothing.” Your gut isn’t a light switch.

The hill I will die on: don’t let salt be your personality

If you’re dealing with slow transit, bloating, or irregularity, the answer is rarely “just add salt.” More often, it’s:

• potassium
• magnesium
• and overall mineral balance (plus, you know… the other stuff like fiber, stress, sleep annoying but true)

If you want to try something today that’s low risk and actually useful: eat a potassium rich food and drink water like a person who lives on Earth. Then reassess before you start salting your beverages like you’re curing meat for winter.

You don’t need more hype. You need a gut that works.