In this Huberman Lab Essentials episode, I explain how salt (sodium) affects mental and physical performance, as well as cellular health. I describe how the brain monitors sodium levels to regulate thirst and fluid balance, and why salt needs can vary depending on activity level, stress, blood pressure, and diet. I also explain how to determine the right sodium intake for your individual needs and discuss why some people may benefit from increasing salt and other electrolytes. Show notes: https://go.hubermanlab.com/jiFQJYv Watch more Huberman Lab Essentials: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPNW_gerXa4OGNy1yE-W9IX-tPu-tJa7S&si=a1_sA7rUT-fE0OM5 *Huberman Lab* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hubermanlab Threads: https://www.threads.net/@hubermanlab X: https://x.com/hubermanlab Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hubermanlab TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hubermanlab LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-huberman Website: https://www.hubermanlab.com Newsletter: https://www.hubermanlab.com/newsletter *Timestamps* 00:00:00 Salt 00:00:37 Brain & Monitoring Salt 00:02:33 Thirst, Osmotic Thirst & Salt 00:05:35 Hypovolemic Thirst & Blood Pressure 00:06:59 Fluid Balance, Kidney & Urine Regulation 00:10:13 How Much Salt Do You Need?, Blood Pressure, Dizziness & Postural Syndromes 00:15:49 Replenish Salt for Performance, Tool: Galpin Equation & Exercise 00:17:35 Stress & Craving Salt 00:19:18 Electrolytes: Magnesium & Potassium; Low Carbohydrate Diet 00:22:07 Salt & Sweet Taste, Sugar Cravings, Processed Foods 00:26:26 Finding Your Ideal Salt Intake, Tool: Unprocessed Food Diet 00:28:14 Neurons, Salt & Action Potentials; Ingesting Too Much Water 00:30:15 Recap & Key Takeaways #HubermanLab #Health #Science Disclaimer & Disclosures: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer