Chloride
Chloride plays a quiet but vital role in fluid balance, nerve transmission, and workout recovery — especially in hot or high-intensity environments.
Chloride is an often-overlooked but essential electrolyte that helps the body maintain fluid balance, regulate blood pressure, and support digestion. It works alongside sodium and potassium to ensure that your cells stay properly hydrated and that your nerves and muscles function as they should.
Although naturally present in many whole foods, most chloride in modern diets comes from table salt and processed foods. While it’s rare to develop a true chloride deficiency, situations involving dehydration, excessive sweating, or prolonged vomiting can lead to low levels — causing fatigue, muscle weakness, or elevated blood pressure.
For athletes or anyone engaging in regular physical activity, chloride is critical to maintaining electrolyte stability during intense workouts, especially in hot conditions. Because it’s so closely tied to sodium intake, balancing overall salt consumption while staying hydrated is key to avoiding both deficiency and overload.
Recommended Daily Intake
- Women: Ages 19-50: 2.3 grams* Ages 51-70: 2.0 grams* Ages 71+: 1.8 grams*
- Men: Ages 19-50: 2.3 grams* Ages 51-70: 2.0 grams* Ages 71+: 1.8 grams*
- Upper Limit: Not known
Deficiency Symptoms
- Muscle weakness
- High blood pressure
- Fatigue
Common Food Sources
- Table salt, sea salt, Kosher salt
- Seaweed
- Shrimp
- High-sodium processed foods including deli meats, hot dogs, cheese, and potato chips
- High-sodium condiments including soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup