Eating heavy salt not only increases heart disease by 60%, but also causes high blood pressure and bone loss? Harvard "urine test" confirms: it is indeed related
Is eating too much salt likely to cause heart disease? Harvard uses “urine test” to confirm: It’s true
How high is the chance of developing cardiovascular disease? The clue is in “urine”? A research team from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health pointed out that although sodium/potassium balance affects blood pressure , previous observational studies cannot clearly estimate whether reducing sodium content in the diet can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Is eating too salty food more likely to cause heart disease? In order to find clear evidence between dietary sodium intake and cardiovascular risk, the Harvard research team collected physical data from more than 10,000 subjects in six large-scale research projects, and based on their performance at different times. 24-hour urine sodium content values, 9-year random interviews.
During the random visit, a total of 571 cardiovascular events were recorded. Research results show that the higher the sodium excretion in urine, the risk of cardiovascular diseases does increase significantly. The study was also published in the internationally authoritative journal “New England Journal of Medicine”.
A 1,000 mg increase in sodium excretion increases cardiovascular risk by 18%
By measuring urine samples at different times, the study found that daily sodium intake from 2,000 mg to 6,000 mg was associated with higher cardiovascular risk. In addition, an increase of 1,000 mg in daily sodium excretion was associated with an 18% increase in cardiovascular risk. A 1,000 mg increase in daily potassium excretion was associated with an 18% reduction in cardiovascular risk.
It is also worth noting that if a high “sodium/potassium ratio” is detected in the urine (the ratio of sodium is too much higher than potassium), it will significantly increase cardiovascular risk. Moreover, the correlations between these cardiovascular events have the same trend among groups of different ages, genders, blood pressure, and weight.
A heavy salty diet increases cardiovascular risk by 60%. Eat a balanced intake of potassium-containing foods.
Fredrick J. Stare, director of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard University’s TH Chan School of Public Health, said that sodium is one of the main components of table salt, but processed foods, packaged foods, and preheated foods contain relatively more added sodium. Potassium has the opposite effect on the body than sodium, helping to relax blood vessels and lower blood pressure. Good sources of potassium include fruits, dark green vegetables, beans, nuts, dairy products, starchy vegetables such as sweet potatoes and pumpkins. However, a large amount of potassium may also damage the kidneys, so a balanced daily diet is recommended.
Stare said that through a large number of test samples across research projects and a more reliable biomarker (sodium excretion in urine), the relationship between daily sodium intake and cardiovascular risk can be further confirmed. The study also found that the group with the highest daily sodium excretion fraction had a 60% higher cardiovascular risk than the group with the lowest daily sodium excretion.
Experts name foods with excess sodium, which may lead to kidney failure and osteoporosis if eaten too much
According to Harvard University’s TH Chan School of Public Health, the human body needs an appropriate amount of sodium to initiate nerve conduction to achieve the effect of contracting and relaxing muscles. However, the daily sodium content required is only about 500 mg. Too much sodium can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke, and can also increase calcium loss from the body. Food types with the highest percentage of sodium include: pizza, sandwiches, cured meats, soups, salty snacks (potato chips, popcorn, crackers), and more.
The daily “adequate intake” (AI) of sodium for people over 14 years of age is 1,500 mg. Based on a daily intake of 1.5 teaspoons of salt, the sodium content may be as high as 3,400 mg, far exceeding the requirements for normal physiological metabolism.
Harvard University TH Chan School of Public Health reminds that long-term excessive sodium intake will increase the burden on the heart and blood vessel pressure, and even cause heart, kidneys, aorta and even osteoporosis . It is recommended to eat more fresh vegetables and fruits, increase the intake of natural potassium, and eat less processed foods with excessive sodium content such as bread and processed meats.
source:
The Nutrition Source - Salt and Sodium
24-Hour Urinary Sodium and Potassium Excretion and Cardiovascular Risk
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