Chloride is a compound of chlorine with another element or group. It is a major mineral that is necessary for your stomach to make digestive juices and that helps keep your body fluids in balance. Chloride is found in the fluid surrounding all the cells in your body.
Chloride is found in table salt, sea salt, and many vegetables such as celery, tomatoes, lettuce and seaweeds. Chloride deficiencies may occur when your body loses too much fluid, but doesn't normally occur from lack of dietary chloride. You'll get all the chloride you need from a normal diet.
Chloride is found in many chemicals and other substances in the body. It is an important part of the salt found in many foods and used in cooking.
Chloride supplements are used to increase the amount of chloride in people with a deficiency. Chronically low levels of chloride in the blood is called hypochloremia. In the body, chloride is a key component of fluids that works to help control their flow in and around cells. Chloride can reach low levels due to excessive excretion of fluids through sweating, urinating, vomiting and diarrhea. Certain medications, especially those that cause urination, also can lead to fluid loss. Chloride also combines with hydrogen to form hydrochloric acid in the stomach to break down foods during digestion.
Chloride is needed to keep the proper balance of body fluids. It is an essential part of digestive (stomach) juices.
Chloride is found in table salt or sea salt as sodium chloride. It is also found in many vegetables. Foods with higher amounts of chloride include seaweed, rye, tomatoes, lettuce, celery, and olives.
Chloride, together with potassium, is also found in most foods and is usually the main ingredient of salt substitutes.
Most Americans probably consume more chloride than needed, in the form of table salt and salt in prepared foods.
Too little chloride in the body can occur when your body loses a lot of fluids. This may be due to excessive sweating, vomiting, or diarrhea. Medicines such as diuretics can also cause low chloride levels.
Too much chloride from salted foods can:
Increase your blood pressure
Cause a buildup of fluid in people with congestive heart failure, cirrhosis, or kidney disease
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamins reflects how much of each vitamin most people should get each day. The RDA for vitamins may be used to create each person's goals.
How much of each vitamin you need depends on your age and gender. Other factors, such as pregnancy and illnesses, are also important. Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding need higher amounts. Older adults need lower amounts. Ask your health care provider which amount is best for you.
Infants
0 - 6 months: 0.18* grams per day (g/day)
7 - 12 months: 0.57* g/day
Children
1 - 3 years: 1.5* g/day
4 - 8 years: 1.9* g/day
9 - 13 years: 2.3* g/day
Adolescents and Adults
Males and females age 14 to 50 years: 2.3* g/day
Males and females 51 to 70: 2.0* g/day
Males and females 71 and over: 1.8* g/day
*Adequate intakes (AI)
The best way to get the daily requirement of essential vitamins is to eat a balanced diet that contains a variety of foods.