Recently, a study conducted by Swedish researchers found that high salt consumption can lead to atherosclerosis, regardless of the presence of hypertension.
The study analyzed 10,778 adults with an average age of 58, all of whom underwent coronary CT scans. The analysis revealed that higher salt intake correlated with faster progression of atherosclerosis in the carotid arteries and coronary arteries. For every 1,000 mg increase in urinary sodium excretion, carotid plaques, coronary calcium scores, and the severity of coronary stenosis increased by 3%, 4%, and 4%, respectively. These results were consistent even in individuals with blood pressure below 140/90 mmHg or without cardiovascular disease.
The researchers indicated that this suggests high salt intake damages blood vessels even before the onset of hypertension. The findings also reinforce the recommendations of the World Health Organization and other academic organizations to limit salt intake to less than 5 grams per day. This is especially important for individuals with hypertension and cardiovascular diseases.
It is even more crucial to pay attention to salt intake, as the average salt consumption is 12 grams per day. Replacing regular salt with low-sodium salt is an effective solution. If every household switched to low-sodium salt, and all restaurants, canteens, and food enterprises also used low-sodium salt, it would reduce the mortality rate more than 10%.
Thank you for reading! ” Sitestorys “
