What you should know about salt and hypertension font size Print Email 26.Jul.2014 0 Comments Dr Abiodun Adeoye Rate this item1 2 3 4 5 (0 votes) Sustained raised blood pressure otherwise called hypertension is not a respecter of person or nation. Hypertension is of global health concern affecting the rich, the poor, educated ones and those not privileged to attend school. Heart failure, myocardial infarction, kidney failure, and stroke result majorly from poorly treated hypertension. Despite the advance in management of hypertension and availability of genuine drug, less than third of the people with hypertension get their blood pressure well controlled, i.e., the level at which complication may not occur. If this is the case, prevention is the best option, which is cheaper and affordable by all and sundry. High salt intake has long been associated with high blood pressure and reasonably, one would expect prevention of hypertension, if we all cut down on the consumption of salt. But with controversy on salt and hypertension, some people are getting confused. Certain researchers believe that salt is not the cause of hypertension while some say it is an interplay of several factors meaning removing other factors, consumption of salt irrespective of type or quantity is not associated with raised blood pressure. In this column, I would want our esteemed readers to make an informed choice as examine the effect of salt in the body especially cardiovascular system. What is salt? Salt and sodium are interchangeably used depending on which part of the world you are. Most countries like Nigeria use “salt” while in USA and Canada, the term “sodium” is used. However, on a weight basis,salt comprises 40 per cent sodium and 60 per cent chloride.The conversion of different units for sodium and salt is as follows: 1 g of sodium = 2.5 g of salt, 1 mmol of sodium = 23 mg of sodium, 1 g of salt = 0.4 g of sodium, and 1 g of salt = 17 mmol of sodium. Salt is the major source of sodium in the diet (≈ 90 per cent). Types of salt Not all salts are created equal. Natural salt contains 84 percent sodium chloride, and 16 percent naturally-occurring trace minerals, including silicon, phosphorous and vanadium. Processed (table) salt, on the other hand, contains 97.5 per cent sodium chloride and the rest is man-made chemicals, such as moisture absorbents and flow agents. These are dangerous chemicals like ferrocyanide and aluminosilicate. A small amount of iodine or vitamin A may also be added. Based on this fact, some researchers found that probably it is the excess consumption of processed salt that causes hypertension not the natural salt. From all angles, it will be wrong for any health educator to “sentence” an individual to “no – salt diet”. There are functions of salt in the body. Functions of salt As earlier stated, salt provides two elements – sodium and chloride – that are essential for life. Your body cannot make these elements on its own, so you must get them from your diet. Some of the many biological processes for which natural salt is crucial include: Salt a major component of your blood plasma (fluid), lymphatic fluid, extracellular fluid, and even amniotic fluid (which is the fluid in the womb when you are pregnant). It carries nutrients into and out of your body cells, and helps maintain your acid-base balance (not allowing acid to be too much in the body). Salt helps to increase the glial cells in your brain, which are responsible for creative thinking and long-term planning. Maintain and regulate blood pressure so that it will not be too low. Salt helps your brain to communicate with your muscles, so that you can move on demand via sodium-potassium in exchange. Lastly it supports the function of your adrenal glands, which produce dozens of vital hormones. Our readers, it is not my intention to make this discussion technical or difficult but the aim is for us to have basic understanding and make informed decision when it comes to effect of salt on blood pressure. I will stop here and continue next week. Till then, maintain a healthy heart.
Posted on: Sat, 26 Jul 2014 21:50:14 +0000
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