Chloride Requirements and Dietary Sources Menu Verywell Fit Nutrition Weight Management Nutrition Facts Nutrition Basics Diets Meal Plans Meal Delivery Services View All News Fitness and Nutrition What to Buy How We Test Products Fitness Gear Nutrition Products Tools Recipe Nutrition Calculator Weight Loss Calorie Goal BMI Calculator Body Fat Percentage Calculator Calories Burned by Activity Daily Calories Burned Pace Calculator About Us Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Search Supplements Chloride Requirements and Dietary Sources By Shereen Lehman, MS Shereen Lehman, MS Shereen Lehman, MS, is a healthcare journalist and fact checker. She has co-authored two books for the popular Dummies Series (as Shereen Jegtvig). Learn about our editorial process Updated on January 29, 2020 Medically reviewed Verywell Fit articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and nutrition and exercise healthcare professionals. Medical Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Jonathan Valdez, RDN, CDCES, CPT Medically reviewed by Jonathan Valdez, RDN, CDCES, CPT Jonathan Valdez, RDN, CDCES, CPT is a New York City-based telehealth registered dietitian nutritionist and nutrition communications expert. Learn about our Medical Review Board Print Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman Chloride is a major mineral that works with sodium and potassium to keep body fluid levels balanced. It works by maintaining the fluid volume outside of the cells. The cells in the lining of the stomach need chloride to make hydrochloric acid, which is a component of digestive juices. It's easy to find chloride in foods, so deficiency is rare. Table salt and sea salt are both 40% chloride by volume, so you'll consume chloride every time you add salt to your food or eat foods made with salt. Salt substitutes often use chloride too—it's just the sodium that's replaced in those products. That's because sodium has been linked to high blood pressure and other cardiovascular diseases in some people. In addition to salt, many vegetables, such as celery, tomatoes, lettuce, and seaweeds, are good sources of chloride. There's no reason to take chloride as a dietary supplement, since the foods you eat are more than sufficient. Dietary Reference Intakes The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Health and Medicine Division determines the adequate intake of all nutrients based on age and sex. Chloride needs are similar for males and females but differ by age. The recommendation doesn't change for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. 1 to 3 years: 1.5 grams per day4 to 8 years: 1.9 grams per day9 to 50 years: 2.3 grams per day51 to 70 years: 2.0 grams per day71+ years: 1.8 grams per day These adequate intakes are equal to the amount that should cover the needs of all individuals in each age group. If you have any health conditions, you can speak to your healthcare provider about your diet and if there's any reason to be concerned about your chloride intake. Chloride deficiency can occur when your body loses too much fluid through heavy sweating, vomiting, or diarrhea. Certain medications called diuretics cause your body to lose fluid, so they can potentially cause a chloride deficiency as well. Consuming too much chloride can increase your blood pressure. People with congestive heart disease need to be even more careful because it can cause a build-up of fluid. According to the Institute of Medicine, the tolerable upper intake for chloride is 3.6 grams per day for adults. The tolerable upper limit is the maximum level of daily intake that's known not to cause any adverse effects. Benefits and Risks of Dietary Supplements Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. American Heart Association. Sodium. Updated June 28, 2018. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Health and Medicine Division. Dietary reference intakes. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Chloride in diet. Updated February 2, 2019. By Shereen Lehman, MS Shereen Lehman, MS, is a healthcare journalist and fact checker. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? 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