Salt: beyond blood pressure

Nutrition Action Healthletter, July-August, 2008

Salt may do more harm to your heart than simply boosting your blood pressure.

Researchers gave 16 young men with normal blood pressure either salt tablets (supplying 4,600 milligrams of sodium) or a placebo every day for five days. The men were told to eat a low-salt diet, which put the total daily sodium intake of the salt-tablet takers (about 5,200 mg) at the upper end of the range of what people typically consume, and 3 1/2 times the recommended intake.

The salt didn't just raise the men's systolic blood pressure (from an average of 117 to an average of 121). It also caused increased stiffness in their artery linings and in the main pumping chamber (left ventricle) of their hearts.

What to do: Cut back on salt. That means preparing your own food, rather than relying on typical packaged or restaurant foods. Also, check the Nutrition Facts on food labels to find lower-sodium brands.

Hypertension 51: 1525, 2008.