Why Is The Balance Of Sodium And Potassium In The Body Important?

Video: Why Is The Balance Of Sodium And Potassium In The Body Important?

Video: Why Is The Balance Of Sodium And Potassium In The Body Important?
Video: Aldosterone: Sodium and Potassium Balance - Na+/K+ Balance - Explained in 5 Minutes!! 2024, December
Why Is The Balance Of Sodium And Potassium In The Body Important?
Why Is The Balance Of Sodium And Potassium In The Body Important?
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Eating too much salt and too little potassium can increase the risk of death. These results came as a counterpoint to a hotly debated study published recently, which found that eating small amounts of salt did not reduce the risk of heart disease and premature death.

Dr. Thomas Farley, New York's health commissioner, says salt remains harmful in any case. He is leading a campaign to reduce salt in restaurants and packaged foods by 25% over a five-year period.

Most health experts agree with Farley that consuming too much salt is not good for you. It increases high blood pressure, which in turn increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Salty foods
Salty foods

Salt intake has been increasing since the 1970s. Americans consume about twice the recommended daily limit.

The study specifically focused on a diet high in salt and low in potassium. And it has been proven to be particularly risky. Farley fully supports these results.

For the study, the researchers looked at the long-term effects of sodium and potassium intake as part of a 15-year study of more than 12,000 people.

Fruit diet
Fruit diet

By the end of the study period, 2,270 of the participants had died, with 825 of these deaths due to cardiovascular disease and 433 to blood clots and strokes.

Potassium is key. The researchers found that people whose diets were high in sodium and low in potassium were 50 percent more likely to die from any cause and about 200 percent more likely to have a heart attack.

To avoid these effects, scientists advise consumers to increase potassium levels in their diet by adding more portions of fresh fruits and vegetables, such as spinach, grapes, carrots, sweet potatoes, low-fat fresh and yogurt.

If sodium increases high blood pressure, potassium decreases it. If sodium retains water, potassium helps you get rid of excess fluids. This balance must be maintained.

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