Blood pressure is affected by many factors, and studies indicate dietary salt, or sodium chloride, can increase it. Some research findings regarding sodium and blood pressure are discussed below. If you have high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, it is a good idea to monitor, and possibly reduce, sodium intake. The recommended daily sodium intake is about 2,300 mg for healthy adults or no more than 1,500 mg per day for those with high blood pressure. Speak with your physician or dietitian if you have concerns about the amount of salt in your diet.
Hypertension and Sodium
The American Heart Association and the USDA both suggest lowering the intake of sodium, because of the risk of hypertension if high amounts of sodium are ingested. Due to research on the adrenal hormone ouabain, clinicians now have a better understanding of why sodium causes hypertension. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, sodium causes ouabain to be released into the body, which subsequently upsets the sodium/calcium homeostasis of arteries. This causes constricted arteries and results in hypertension.
Sodium in Medications
A study from the journal of "Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety" May 2009, reports the use of certain medications contributes to hypertension in older patients. The study found that changing from a drinkable "effervescent" pain reliever to a pill form caused blood pressure to reduce significantly. The original water soluble fizzy tablet contained sodium bicarbonate, whereas the alternative pill did not. This research emphasizes the importance of being aware of sodium in medications, and also that sodium may come in forms other than sodium chloride.
The "SALTURK" Study
A study published in "Blood Pressure" October 2010, found a significant positive correlation between the amount of salt consumed and blood pressure in a Turkish population. According to the study, Turkish people use large amounts of salt daily in food. The researchers measured participants' blood pressure and urinary levels of sodium to arrive at the correlations. While the study is correlational, it still supports the relationship found in other research regarding high salt intake and elevated blood pressure.
Strong Evidence
According to an article which appeared in the September 2007 issue of the "Journal of the American Medical Association," the issue of sodium consumption is a serious one. The authors believe evidence supporting the theory that sodium causes hypertension is "overwhelming." The World Health Organization has confirmed sodium contributes to hypertension. In addition, if people were more informed about sodium, and if the amount of sodium put into processed foods was reduced, a major contributing factor to hypertension could be removed.
Reducing Sodium Intake
Sodium in the diet can be reduced by following the DASH diet. The acronym stands for "Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension." This diet is low-fat and encourages consumption of fruit and vegetables. According to the American Heart Association, a lot of dietary sodium comes from ready-made grocery foods. Check labels on food packages carefully to avoid servings loaded with sodium. The AHA further recommends selecting salt-free foods, checking for hidden sodium in medications, ordering low sodium meals in restaurants, and replacing salt with other spices for food flavoring.
References
- "Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety"; Blood Pressure Reduction in Hypertensive Patients After Withdrawal of Effervescent Medication; Amalia Ubeda, Javier Llopico, and M. Theresa Sanchez; May 2009
- "Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report"; Application of Lower Sodium Intake Recommendations to Adults--United States, 1999-2006; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; March 2009
- "Blood Pressure"; The Relationship Between Hypertension and Salt Intake in Turkish Population: SALTURK Study; Yunus Erdem, Mustafa Arici, Bulent Altun, et al.; October 2010
- "Annual Review of Nutrition"; The Effect of Nutrition on Blood Pressure; Vincenzo Savica, Guido Bellinghieri, and Joel D. Kopple; August 2010
- "Journal of the American Medical Association"; The Urgent Need to Reduce Sodium Consumption; Stephen Havas, Barry D. Dickinson, and Modena Wilson; September 2007
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Scientists Uncover How Excess Salt Leads To Hypertension: Larry Roberts and Ellen Beth Levitt: February 2004
