Abstract

Recent studies reported the critical role of the intrauterine environment of a fetus in growth or the development of disease in adulthood. In this article we discussed the implications of salt restriction in growth of a fetus and the development of growth-related disease in adulthood. Salt restriction causes retardation of fatal growth or intrauterine death thereby leading to low birth weight or decreased birth rate. Such retardation of growth along with the upregulation of the renin angiotensin system due to salt restriction results in the underdevelopment of cardiovascular organs or decreases the number of the nephron in the kidney and is responsible for onset of hypertension in adulthood. In addition, gestational salt restriction is associated with salt craving after weaning. Moreover, salt restriction is associated with a decrease in insulin sensitivity. A series of alterations in metabolism due to salt restriction are probably mediated by the upregulation of the renin angiotensin system and an epigenetic mechanism including proinflammatory substances or histone methylation. Part of the metabolic disease in adulthood may be programmed through such epigenetic changes. The modification of gene in a fetus may be switched on through environment factors or life style after birth. The benefits of salt restriction have been assumed thus far; however, more precise investigation is required of its influence on the health of fetuses and the onset of various diseases in adulthood.

Highlights

  • Salt is an essential nutrient for all cells and a reduction in salt intake results in the collapse of cardiovascular circulation

  • It would be intriguing to determine the pathophysiological role of maternal salt metabolism in the fetal growth and to examine whether growth retardation due to excessive salt restriction is associated with diseases in adulthood

  • Vidonho et al reported that salt restriction (0.15 % NaCl, w/w) during pregnancy and lactation in Wistar rat dams decreases glucose uptake and insulin sensitivity in offspring determined by the glucose clamp method than high (4 or 8 % NaCl, w/w) or normal (1.3 % NaCl, w/w) salt diet [37]

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Summary

Background

Salt is an essential nutrient for all cells and a reduction in salt intake results in the collapse of cardiovascular circulation. With regard to the intrauterine environment, the effects of salt intake by mothers on the fetal growth have not yet been addressed. Recent studies have found an association between intrauterine growth retardation and cardiovascular dysfunction with structural changes in both animals and humans. In this sense, it would be intriguing to determine the pathophysiological role of maternal salt metabolism in the fetal growth and to examine whether growth retardation due to excessive salt restriction is associated with diseases in adulthood. This review focuses on recent studies concerning the effects of excessive salt restriction on fetal growth and reviews the possible mechanism underling this risk. Sakuyama et al Journal of Biomedical Science (2016) 23:12 hypertension and metabolic diseases in adulthood, with special reference to epigenetic and gene-related mechanisms

Salt restriction and excessive salt intake
Findings
Conclusions

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