The consumption of salt and other sodium sources should be limited. Sodium has been shown to lead to hypertension (high blood pressure) and it is recommended to keep daily consumption level between 110 and 3300 mg.
40% of salt is sodium, which seems to be major precipitant of hypertension. The human body needs only about 1/5 teaspoon (220 mg) of salt a day, but most adult consume up to 30 times as much as their bodies actually need.
Diets high in salt can raise blood pressure in at least two ways. First, sodium can cause the body to retain water increasing volume of blood in the arteries and thus increasing blood pressure.
Second, sodium causes small arteries to constrict, which produces a greater resistant to blood flow.
The majority of sodium in the United States diet is from sodium added during food processing and by restaurant and other food service such as cafeterias and catering services.
Most people with hypertension are sodium sensitive, that is, increasing or reducing intake of sodium alters blood pressure.
Some hypertensive people are sodium resistant; that is, changes in sodium intake do not affect blood pressure.
There is hypothesis that aerobic exercise training in older people with hypertension changes sensitivity with individuals switching from being sodium sensitive to sodium resistant.
Among those with hypertension, approximately 30 to 50 percent are sensitive to salt and can improve blood pressure by reducing salt consumption.
Sodium and hypertension
