If you dive into where Na++ lives and works in the body, it is a very busy boy. The blood levels are kept in stasis as much as possible, and when it is so low in the blood to be measured as low, it is also being stolen from elsewhere as well. THe whole body is low, not just the blood levels.

RE hypertension. When my BP started to creep up, 115/80 range, I took that as a sign that I was not following LC. Jumping back on LC would drop my pb down asap, to 110/70 range. Having said that, this I now undderstand is only the first step in preventing hpertension. There is the thickening of the arteries and the calcification. While I still dont fully understand the mechanism, I put my trust in the detail support that Dr Atkins provided that said I could prevent such an end to good health if I stayed true to LC. However, I have more understanding after reading Dr Lin's book The Dental Diet. WOW. VItamin K2 is not recognized by our governmental powers that be, but Im convinced that given the changes in our diet from 100-150 years ago, from an agricultural community to city dwellers, that we are missing many important layers of nutritional input that would prevent hypertension. ( and exercise, mild, moderate and all day) We can fix this IF we know how to . I am trying to layer in Vitamin K2, and more fermented products and quality fiber to feed the microbes...... get Ca to go where it is supposed to , not the arteries and heart, and decrease inflammation thru the body, and support the gut microbes.

Deficiency can only be prevented by consuming enough, and you are right , the body deals with excess effectively.