Novel paradigms linking salt and health

Abstract

Although sodium is an essential nutrient, conclusive scientific evidence suggests the association between excessive salt intake and various negative health outcomes. One of the health consequences with the greatest public health impact is the increase in population blood pressure with a consequent increase of cardiovascular disease risk. There is ample evidence linking high salt intake with other health outcomes: stomach cancer, impaired renal function, osteoporosis, obesity, severity of asthma, but also with novel health risks established with advanced molecular and metagenomics technology: autoimmunity, immunity in various organs and systems. Some recent studies have reported that a high salt diet modulates the gut-microbiome, interacting with both the host’s gastrointestinal tract environment and its genome and metabolism. The newest evidence indicates possible novel pathophysiological mechanisms of obesity, including high fasting ghrelin in healthy individuals consuming a high-salt diet, as well as endogenous fructose production and leptin resistance in mice. This revealing new evidence links high salt intake with obesity and consequently, with further metabolic complications. As a country with high prevalences of obesity and hypertension, and high salt intake, Serbia would greatly benefit from adopting and implementing a national sodium reduction program that minimize risks through education, regulation, and enforcement.