塩化ナトリウムは体内で最も重要な浸透圧物質(オスモライトという)です(『Dietary reference intakes for water, potassium, sodium, chloride, and sulfate ; Panel on Dietary Reference Intakes for Electrolytes and Water, Standing Committee on the Scientific Evaluation of Dietary Reference Intakes, Food and Nutrition Board ; Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.』nstitute of Medicine (U.S.). Panel on Dietary Reference Intakes for Electrolytes and Water. Washington, D.C. : National Academies Press; c2005)。細胞内のバルクの水を抜くことでガンの治療にも有効です(拙著『水と命のダンス』参照)