Many people drink more salt than is recommended daily, especially those who should restrict their intake owing to heart health issues.
A recent study found that people with cardiovascular disease (CVD) were consuming more than twice as much salt (1,500 mg) per day as recommended, which lends credence to this.
The average daily salt consumption of the research participants was 3,096 mg, with 89% of them surpassing the recommended daily dose.
The American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session was where the results were presented.
“Sodium helps to balance the water in your body,” said clinical director of Piedmont Healthcare Corporation in Atlanta, GA and cardiologist Jayne Morgan, MD.
“It even promotes healthy nerve and muscle function,” Dr. Morgan, who was not involved in the study, continued.
“Where sodium goes, water follows” is a proverb in medicine, she told Medical News Today.
This explains why eating salt makes your blood volume higher. Blood pressure goes up as a result of this. Your heart must eventually work harder due to the elevated blood pressure, increasing your risk of heart disease, according to Dr. Morgan.
Dr. Morgan pointed out that atherosclerosis and the hardening and stiffness of the arteries have long been associated with high salt intake.