How Bad Is Sodium Nitrate for You?

Overconsumption of sodium nitrate can lead to cancer, neurological illnesses, and heart diseases.

Sodium nitrate, or nitrate of sodium, is a chemical compound of nitrate and sodium. Sodium is a mineral, and nitrate is a molecule composed of nitrogen and oxygen. Both sodium and nitrate are found naturally in the environment and some vegetables.

Sodium nitrate is commonly used as a preservative in cured meats and fish. Sodium nitrate fights harmful bacteria in cured and processed meats, but excessive consumption may cause cancer, heart, and brain issues.

Read on to learn more about what is sodium nitrate, and why too much exposure is bad for you.

Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration permits the use of sodium nitrate (NaNO3) in cured meats, multiple studies have connected nitrate overconsumption to cancer, higher risks of neurological illnesses, and heart diseases. Many researchers believe that adding this preservative to cured meats is bad for health because it has been connected to an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease, cancers, and Parkinson's disease.

If exposed to extreme heat or a highly acidic environment, sodium nitrate, like sodium nitrite (NaNO2), can change into nitrosamine in the body. Nitrosamine is a known carcinogen. According to a study published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology, sodium nitrate transformed into nitrosamines can cause gastric cancer. Sodium nitrate has also been proven to have a detrimental effect on oxygen circulation in the blood, which can lead to methemoglobinemia (an inefficient oxygen circulation condition).

Inhalation of excessive sodium nitrate irritates the respiratory tract, and symptoms may include coughing and shortness of breath.

Ingestion of excessive sodium nitrate may cause:

• Gastroenteritis
• Abdominal pain
• Dizziness
• Headache
• Mental impairment
• Blood with loose stools
• Convulsions and collapse
• Vomiting
• Flushing of skin
• Kidney abnormalities

There have been a few reports of nitrates being transformed into more hazardous nitrites, mostly in babies.

Chronic exposure:

• In some cases, methemoglobinemia develops in people when nitrate is converted into nitrite by bacteria in the stomach.
• This conversion can cause nausea, flushing of skin, vomiting, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, erratic breathing, convulsions, coma, and death.

Chronic sodium nitrate poisoning can result in the aggravation of preexisting conditions in patients with a history of kidney or lung disease. These patients could be more susceptible to the effects of this substance.

Sodium nitrate is a type of salt that has been used for a long time to preserve foods, especially meat and fish, despite its negative nutritional value. It is sometimes used as a replacement for sodium nitrite. It helps preserve the color of cured meat and imparts flavor, regulates lipid oxidation, and functions as an antimicrobial.

• In cured and processed meats, sodium nitrate (NaNO3) helps prevent the growth of disease-carrying bacteria, which cause botulism and listeria.
• Sodium nitrate is even an ingredient in mouthwashes because it can help alleviate dental irritation.
• To kill rodents, sodium nitrate is used in fumigation.
• Sodium nitrate is metabolized in the body and meats into sodium nitrite, which has been found to have medicinal qualities, such as improved oxygen circulation, and can be helpful during heart attacks and strokes.
• Some researchers suggest that sodium nitrite helps preserve tissues when oxygen levels are low in the body.

Sodium nitrate prevents bacterial colonization of foods, which makes it a powerful oxidizing agent for meat preservatives. The U.S. Department of Agriculture attempted to restrict sodium nitrate as an ingredient in the late 1970s but was defeated by the meat industry. Because of the significant danger of cancer-causing nitrosamine, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration limits the amount of nitrate allowed as food additives per 100 pounds of meat to 2.75 ounces.

Although sodium nitrate is still being used, its use has decreased over the years, because of the restrictions on the quantities that can be used. Freezing and refrigeration, which can also prevent microbial growth, have contributed to the decline of sodium nitrate use. In addition, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has developed a safe method for preventing the growth of botulism-causing bacteria using lactic acid-producing bacteria. Companies now add ascorbic acid or erythorbic acid to inhibit nitrosamine formation from the nitrates.

Nitrates can be found in almost any environment since they occur naturally in several plants, fruits, and cereals. When the chemical complex comes into contact with saliva, it transforms into sodium nitrite. Bodies convert nitrate to nitrite.

The following are some common methods for avoiding excessive sodium nitrate intake:

• Reduce intake of processed meat and foods, such as hot dogs, jerky, sausage, and cold cuts.
• Examine labels carefully and avoid items containing sodium or potassium nitrates and nitrites.
• Consume organic foods.
• Determine whether the water contains nitrates or nitrites.
• Consume an antioxidant-rich diet.

Nitrates and nitrites are prevalent in the environment and can be found in medications and household items. Nitrates are found in high concentrations in soil, animal feces, plants, and food. Nitrate levels are naturally high in spinach, cauliflower, collard greens, beets, and broccoli.

Sodium nitrate is often used as a preservative in cured meats, but they are also found in drugs used to treat heart disease and hypertension, as well as burn treatments. Volatile nitrites have been documented to be abused recreationally or for sexual enhancement. Fertilizers and explosives are two other commercial uses of nitrates.

Even though nitrates are necessary for all plant and animal life, excessive exposure can cause major health problems and negative nutritional effects. Be aware of how much sodium nitrate you consume to avoid any detrimental effects.

Why is sodium nitrate hazardous?

Sodium and nitrates are essential for life, so how does sodium nitrate become hazardous? Let us first understand what are sodium nitrates. Sodium nitrate is a chemical compound composed of sodium, nitrogen, and oxygen, all of which play vital roles in the body. However, like any mineral, vitamin, or other nutrient, excess is harmful. Sodium nitrate also reacts with certain substances in the body, which turns it harmful and toxic.

Nitrate is broken down into nitrite in the body, and nitrates and nitrites are used to make nitric oxide which plays an important role in protecting cardiovascular health, the mucous lining of the gastrointestinal system, and preventing metabolic disease. However, nitrates and nitrites react with proteins and produce nitrosamines, a toxic carcinogenic substance, in the highly acidic gastric environment. Nitrosamine is carcinogenic and is a risk factor for gastric, colorectal, and other cancers.

Another reason why sodium nitrate is bad for you is the risk of methemoglobinemia. After nitrate is broken down into nitrite, it reacts with hemoglobin and forms methemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the red pigment in red blood cells that delivers oxygen to every cell in the body. Methemoglobin is a form of hemoglobin that does not deliver oxygen, so an increase in methemoglobin will cause a drop in hemoglobin, and starve the cells of oxygen.

Primarily, it is better to keep a watch on your sodium nitrate intake in a day. You will be able to get the necessary amount from vegetables, and they also contain antioxidants and other nutrients that can improve your health. In addition to nitrate, cured and processed meats are high in salt, and often contain saturated fats as well, which increase your risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes. A common use of sodium nitrate is in fertilizers, so it is present in water and soil, all of which can contribute to the quantity of dietary intake, making it hazardous.

Does sodium nitrate cause heart attacks?

Excessive consumption of sodium nitrate, particularly, from processed meats can increase your risk for high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, and heart attack. Nitrate itself, when obtained from vegetables, plays a beneficial role in heart health, because it is required for the production of nitric oxide. This short-lived gas molecule lowers blood pressure and dilates blood vessels. Studies show that sodium nitrate intake from processed meats is associated with a higher incidence of hypertension and associated cardiovascular issues.

Why should you avoid sodium nitrate?

You should minimize or avoid sodium nitrate that is in processed meats because these can have chemical reactions in your body and produce toxic and carcinogenic substances. Instead, aim to get your nitrates from green leafy vegetables, and root vegetables. Nitrates naturally present in vegetables are beneficial for your health.

Is sodium nitrate cancer causing?

Yes, sodium nitrate in processed meats can be cancer causing. Nitrate in sodium nitrate reacts with certain enzymes and proteins in the meat and produces nitrosamine in the gastrointestinal tract. Nitrosamine is a known cancer-causing (carcinogenic) agent and is associated with gastric, colorectal, and other cancers.

What do people use sodium nitrate for?

Sodium nitrate is used as a preservative in cured and processed meats and fish. Sodium nitrate is antimicrobial and inhibits the growth of bacteria that cause botulism and listeria. Sodium nitrate helps preserve the red color in cured meat and gives it the characteristic flavor. Sodium nitrate is also used in fertilizers, solid propellants, glass and pottery enamels, pyrotechnics, and explosives.

What happens to your body when you take sodium nitrate?

When we eat foods containing sodium nitrate, the bacteria in the mouth, stomach, and small intestines convert approximately 5% to 10% of nitrate into nitrite. The small intestines almost totally absorb the nitrate, and it enters into blood circulation. Your kidney processes and excretes about 60% to 70% of the nitrate in the urine within 24 hours. Saliva excretes about 25% of the nitrate but recycles most of it for use by the body.

The body uses nitrite to make nitric oxide, a gas molecule that dilates blood vessels and reduces blood pressure. Saliva also makes nitrite from nitric oxide and recycles it. When you eat processed meats, the nitrite interacts with proteins in the meats, and in the acidic environment of the stomach, produces nitrosamine, a carcinogenic byproduct. Nitrosamine precursors are present in processed meats, alcoholic drinks, cigarette smoke, and cosmetics. Nitrates absorbed from plant sources are beneficial for health and do not pose similar risks. Excessive sodium increases blood pressure and the risk of cardiovascular disease.