Chloride is a salt consisting of two elements, one of which is chlorine. Chloride makes up about 0.15% of the body weight and is found in the fluid outside cells.
Alternative Names:
Diet - chloride
Function:
Chloride is needed to keep the proper balance of body fluids. It is an essential part of digestive (stomach) juices.
Food Sources:
Chloride is can be 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. Potassium chloride is found in most foods and is usually the main ingredient of salt substitutes.
Side Effects:
Too little chloride in the body can occur with fluid loss. This may be due to excessive sweating, vomiting, or diarrhea. Medicines such as diuretics can also cause a chloride deficiency. Such loss can lead to dehydration, loss of potassium in the urine, and a condition called alkalosis.
Review Date: 1/2/2007
Reviewed By: William McGee, M.D., M.H.A., Assistant Professor of Medicine and Surgery, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, and Chairman, Nutrition Committee, Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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Nutrition
