A low-salt diet reduces systolic blood pressure by 6 mmHg. Art. in a week. The research was published in the journal JAMA.
213 people aged between 50 and 75, with or without hypertension, participated in the study. Initially, patients followed their normal diet while measuring their blood pressure. They were then randomly assigned to a high-sodium diet or a low-sodium diet for one week. The participants then switched to the opposite diet for another week. Blood pressure was measured on the last day of the diet.
The average systolic (first number) blood pressure during the participants’ normal diet was 125 mmHg. Art., with increased sodium consumption – 126 mm Hg. Art. and low-level – 119 mm Hg. Art.
“The reduction in blood pressure we observed was significant and comparable to the reduction caused by antihypertensive medications alone,” the author said.
This effect was seen in almost all patients (75%) who had any type of hypertension and were taking various medications to lower blood pressure. The lack of results was largely due to participants being less strict with their diets. This was confirmed by urine sodium testing, which increases with salt intake.
Hypertension is the most common chronic disease, affecting approximately 1.3 billion people worldwide. It is responsible for every eight deaths worldwide. Although salt has long been known to affect blood pressure, there were some gaps in previous research. For example, most excluded people who were already taking antihypertensive medications.
Previous scientists to create a weight-loss drug that reduces cardiovascular risk by 20%.