Eliminating Just a Teaspoon of Salt can have Profound Effects on Blood Pressure
According to a recent study, eliminating just one teaspoon of salt from your daily diet can have major impacts on blood pressure. The study revealed that this small change can lower blood pressure as much as regular hypertension medication, even if you don’t have hypertension.
The maximum daily limit recommended by US nutritional guidelines for people over 14 years of age is 2,300 milligrams of sodium, equivalent to one teaspoon of salt. However, the American Heart Association recommends a diet with less than 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day.
“This is the first study to show that people already taking blood pressure medication can lower their blood pressure even further by limiting sodium intake,” said Norrina Allen, co-principal investigator and professor of preventive medicine at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University. “And regardless of the medication, we found that 70% to 75% of people are likely to see a reduction in their blood pressure if they reduce the sodium in their diet.”
The dangers of hypertension are well documented. Often referred to as the “silent killer,” hypertension has no symptoms and affects 1 in 3 adults worldwide. Hypertension can lead to heart attack, heart failure, kidney damage, and stroke, according to a 2023 report from the World Health Organization.
According to the American Heart Association, nearly half of Americans have hypertension, and about a third of them suffer from “resistant” hypertension, which is high blood pressure that has not responded despite the simultaneous use of three types of medications. A 2021 study revealed men ages 20 to 49 are up to 70% more likely to have uncontrolled hypertension than women of the same age.
Dr. Andrew Freeman, director of Cardiovascular Prevention and Wellness at National Jewish Health in Denver, urges people to reduce salt intake, noting that salt is added to almost everything we eat.
The study, published in the journal JAMA, revealed that reducing sodium intake had considerable effects on blood pressure. The participants experienced a rapid and significant decrease in blood pressure when consuming just 500 milligrams of salt a day. This drastic reduction was exhibited in people with normal blood pressure, slightly elevated blood pressure, and those already taking medications for hypertension.
Researchers noted that reducing salt intake had no significant side effects, and the adaptation of taste buds to low-sodium diets occurred within a few weeks.
It was also found that blood pressure medications can have various side effects, including cough, constipation or diarrhea, dizziness, lack of energy, headache, muscle pain, nausea, nervousness, and possible problems with weight gain or loss and erections.
Experts recommend preparing meals at home to reduce salt intake and avoid hidden sources of sodium in restaurants. The DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) is an expert-approved method for reducing salt intake and involves incorporating more fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products while limiting foods high in saturated fat and sodium intake to 2,300 milligrams a day.