Eat more salt, it will hurt the blood vessels?« Back to Questions List

According to a study conducted by Swedish scientists, with or without high blood pressure, eating more salt makes blood vessels prone to atherosclerosis.

The study analyzed 10,778 adults with an average age of 58 years, all of whom underwent coronary CT. The analysis found that the more salt consumed, the faster the progression of carotid and coronary atherosclerosis. For every 1000 mg increase in urinary sodium excretion, carotid plaque severity, coronary calcification score, and coronary stenosis increased by 3%, 4%, and 4%, respectively. The same results were found in analyses performed in people with blood pressure less than 140/90 mmHg or without cardiovascular disease.

The researchers said this suggests that eating more salt can damage blood vessels even before hypertension develops. The findings also support the recommendation of the World Health Organization and other scientific organizations to limit salt to less than 5 grams per day. Salt restriction is especially important for people with high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.