6 The dangers of salt to the body if consumed in excess

Eating without salt is like eating vegetables without salt, tasteless. So it is not surprising that many people like salt because it can add to the delicacy of the food eaten. However, excess salt consumption can be harmful to health.

Salt that contains sodium is indeed important for human health. The minerals in salt can help regulate body fluids and maintain nerve transmission and muscle contraction.

A study found that the brain responds to sodium similar to addictive substances such as nicotine, which can cause an addictive effect. Therefore, we need to limit salt intake to at least 5 grams or one teaspoon per day. If not restricted, excess salt consumption can have a negative impact on your health.

What are the dangers of excess salt on the health of the body?

Here are some of the risks and dangers that can arise if you consume excessive salt.

1. Decreased brain function

Studies have found that adults who eat a lot of salt in their diet have a higher risk of developing heart disease. Not only that, study Baycrest it even shows that adults who consume too much salt and do not exercise are at greater risk of experiencing cognitive decline.

2. Interferes with kidney function

As you know, one of the functions of salt is to balance the fluid levels in the body, by giving signals to the kidneys when to retain water and when to excrete water. Unfortunately, excess salt consumption can actually interfere with this process.

If you consume excess salt, your kidneys will reduce the excretion of water into the urine, which can cause an increase in blood volume due to water retention. Symptoms that will arise include edema, which is characterized by swelling especially in the hands, arms, ankles and feet, which is caused by fluid retention.

3. Increase blood pressure

Excess salt consumption is also dangerous because it can affect blood pressure. The higher the sodium level in the blood, the higher your blood volume. The increase in blood volume can actually cause an increase in blood pressure. In addition, long-term sodium consumption can also damage blood vessel walls and increase the risk of developing hypertension or high blood pressure.

High blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps blood which can lead to many serious conditions, such as strokes and heart failure. Although blood pressure naturally increases with age, according to American Heart AssociationOne of the ways to prevent your blood pressure from rising too much is by reducing your salt intake.

4. Stroke and vascular dementia

The danger of high salt intake in addition to increasing blood pressure is that it increases the risk of stroke and vascular dementia. Dementia is a loss of brain function that affects memory, thinking, language, judgment and behavior. Vascular dementia can be caused by blocked blood vessels in the brain. About one in three people who have a stroke develop vascular dementia.

5. Thinning of the bones

Excessive excretion of calcium in the urine is believed by some experts to increase the risk of thinning bones. Some studies have even found that table salt can cause bones to lose calcium, which can make bones weaker. Over a long period of time, this excessive loss of calcium can be associated with the risk of developing osteoporosis, especially in postmenopausal women.

6. Stomach cancer

In medicaldaily.com mentioned that the 1996 study published in International Journal of Epidemiology found that death from stomach cancer in men and women was closely related to excess salt consumption. In addition, high salt intake can also be associated with stomach ulcers.

Although there is no strong reason for this link, it was quoted via livestrong.com, salt may have an adverse effect on the mucosal lining of the stomach and cause stomach tissue to become abnormal and unhealthy.