דו״ח מאומת

Excess sodium from dietary salt (NaCl) is linked to elevations in blood pressure (BP). However, salt sensitivity of BP varies widely between individuals and there are data suggesting that salt adversely affects target organs, irrespective of BP. High dietary salt has been shown to adversely affect the vasculature, heart, kidneys, skin, brain, and bone. Common mediators of the target organ dysfunction include heightened inflammation and oxidative stress. These physiological alterations may contribute to disease development over time. Despite the adverse effects of salt on BP and several organ systems, there is controversy surrounding lower salt intakes and cardiovascular outcomes. Our goal here is to review the physiology contributing to BP-independent effects of salt and address the controversy around lower salt intakes and cardiovascular outcomes. We will also address the importance of background diet in modulating the effects of dietary salt.…

PMID: 31025198

The global burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) continues to grow, as does the incidence of hypertension, one of the most important modifiable risk factors of CVD. Non-pharmacologic, population level interventions are critically needed to halt the hypertension pandemic, but there is an ongoing debate as to whether public policy efforts should focus more on dietary sodium reduction or increasing potassium. In this commentary, we summarize arguments in favor of policy geared towards reduced sodium intake. Recognizing increasing dietary sodium as one of the drivers of the hypertension pandemic is critical to developing public policy to reduce population level sodium exposure and blood pressure. We draw from a robust field of evidence to show that reducing sodium intake improves blood pressure in a linear fashion, across the lifespan, at an individual level and a population level, and may even reduce CVD events. While potassium plays an important role in blood pressure regulation, potassium interventions are less effective at reducing blood pressure, carry risk of hyperkalemia in select populations, and are more logistically challenging. There is an urgent need for nation-wide policies to reduce sodium intake to help stem the hypertension pandemic and prevent CVD.…

PMID: 37641925

Excessive dietary salt (sodium chloride) intake is associated with an increased risk for hypertension, which in turn is especially a major risk factor for stroke and other cardiovascular pathologies, but also kidney diseases. Besides, high salt intake or preference for salty food is discussed to be positive associated with stomach cancer, and according to recent studies probably also obesity risk. On the other hand a reduction of dietary salt intake leads to a considerable reduction in blood pressure, especially in hypertensive patients but to a lesser extent also in normotensives as several meta-analyses of interventional studies have shown. Various mechanisms for salt-dependent hypertension have been put forward including volume expansion, modified renal functions and disorders in sodium balance, impaired reaction of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone-system and the associated receptors, central stimulation of the activity of the sympathetic nervous system, and possibly also inflammatory processes.Not every person reacts to changes in dietary salt intake with alterations in blood pressure, dividing people in salt sensitive and insensitive groups. It is estimated that about 50-60 % of hypertensives are salt sensitive. In addition to genetic polymorphisms, salt sensitivity is increased in aging, in black people, and in persons with metabolic syndrome or obesity. However, although mechanisms of salt-dependent hypertensive effects are increasingly known, more research on measurement, storage and kinetics of sodium, on physiological properties, and genetic determinants of salt sensitivity are necessary to harden the basis for salt reduction recommendations.Currently estimated dietary intake of salt is about 9-12 g per day in most countries of the world. These amounts are significantly above the WHO recommended level of less than 5 g salt per day. According to recent research results a moderate reduction of daily salt intake from current intakes to 5-6 g can reduce morbidity rates. Potential risks of salt reduction, like suboptimal iodine supply, are limited and manageable. Concomitant to salt reduction, potassium intake by higher intake of fruits and vegetables should be optimised, since several studies have provided evidence that potassium rich diets or interventions with potassium can lower blood pressure, especially in hypertensives.In addition to dietary assessment the gold standard for measuring salt intake is the analysis of sodium excretion in the 24 h urine. Spot urine samples are appropriate alternatives for monitoring sodium intake. A weakness of dietary evaluations is that the salt content of many foods is not precisely known and information in nutrient databases are limited. A certain limitation of the urine assessment is that dietary sources contributing to salt intake cannot be identified.Salt reduction strategies include nutritional education, improving environmental conditions (by product reformulation and optimization of communal catering) up to mandatory nutrition labeling and regulated nutrition/health claims, as well as legislated changes in the form of taxation.Regarding dietary interventions for the reduction of blood pressure the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet can be recommended. In addition, body weight should be normalized in overweight and obese people (BMI less than 25 kg/m…

PMID: 27757935

Hypertension is the most important, modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease and mortality. High salt intake may predispose children to develop hypertension later. A modest reduction in population salt intake worldwide would result in a major improvement in public health. Regarding smoking as another risk factor, there are various strategies that can be used to promote smoking cessation. Physicians are in an excellent position to help their patients stop smoking. Targeted weight loss interventions in population subgroups might be more effective for the prevention of hypertension than a general-population approach. A diet rich in high-potassium fruit and vegetables is strongly recommended. Fresh products are best; normal potassium content is reduced when foods are canned or frozen. Calcium supplementation reduces blood pressure in hypertensive individuals during chronic nitric oxide synthase inhibition and high calcium diet enhances vasorelaxation in nitric oxide-deficient hypertension. Magnesium should be considered by anyone seeking to prevent or treat high blood pressure. The foundation for a healthy blood pressure consists of a healthy diet, adequate exercise, stress reduction, and sufficient amounts of potassium and magnesium, but further investigations are required before making definitive therapeutic recommendations on magnesium use. Alcohol usage is a more frequent contributor to hypertension than is generally appreciated. For hypertensive patients in whom stress appears to be an important issue, stress management should be considered as an intervention. Individualized cognitive behavioral interventions are more likely to be effective than single-component interventions.…

PMID: 27721223

The global prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is increasing with the aging of populations worldwide. As kidney function declines, the accumulation of metabolic waste products and excessive electrolytes can significantly impair the health of patients with CKD. As nutritional management of patients with CKD is thought to control uremic symptoms and provide beneficial effects on the progression of kidney dysfunction, the diet of patients with CKD should be an important consideration in their care. Many guidelines recommend limiting protein intake in these patients, as high-protein diets aggravate kidney dysfunction. Excess sodium may be associated with CKD progression and all-cause mortality and, therefore, limiting salt intake is generally recommended. Low potassium is associated with muscle weakness and hypertension, whereas high potassium is associated with cardiac arrhythmia. Therefore, recent guidelines recommend adjusting dietary potassium intake on an individual basis to maintain serum potassium levels within the normal range. Appropriate dietary calcium intake is recommended to maintain calcium balance in patients with CKD G3, G4. Given the many dietary considerations for patients with CKD, effective nutritional management is challenging. Individualized strategies are needed to ensure the best outcome for patients with CKD.…

PMID: 32872726

Sodium is the major cation of extracellular fluid (ECF) and, because of its osmotic action, is involved in the regulation of ECF volume and blood pressure. The ingested sodium is almost completely absorbed by the intestine. Circulating sodium is filtered by the glomeruli and its renal tubular handling is responsible for the maintenance of sodium and water balance. Sodium deficiency is rare and occurs only in some medical conditions. High dietary sodium intake is associated with ECF volume expansion and is a leading risk factor for hypertension and cardiovascular diseases; it also adds to risk of gastric cancer, nephrolithiasis, reduced bone mineral density, and osteoporosis. Salt added while cooking and eating, the amount added during food transformation, and that occurring naturally in foods contribute to the dietary sodium intake. Additional small amounts of sodium may be occasionally acquired through oral or parenteral medications. The National Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine set an adequate intake of 1.5 g and a chronic disease risk reduction intake of 2.3 g of sodium per day for the adult population. The European Food Safety Authority and the World Health Organization set a standard dietary target for sodium of 2 g/d (5 g of salt). Recent studies highlighted the relevance of salt intake reduction for all-cause mortality risk and, in particular, for stroke. Sodium also appears to affect the activity of the immune system by influencing the gut microbiota composition and the macrophage and lymphocyte differentiation.…

PMID: 40086509