Just one teaspoon less salt per day is enough to achieve, in a short time, a drop in blood pressure comparable to that achieved through medication. This is supported by a study published in the scientific journal JAMA, according to which this reduction has a beneficial effect even for those taking blood pressure medication.
Researchers at Northwestern Illinois University in the US have concluded that anyone can achieve a reduction in blood pressure by reducing salt intake in their diet, including those taking antihypertensive medication. Until now, it was not clear whether introducing a low-salt diet was also effective for those who were currently being treated for high blood pressure.
The WHO recommends consuming less than 5 grams of salt per day, generally around a teaspoon. Excess salt causes an increase in blood pressure, resulting in the risk of pathologies affecting the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular systems. Hypertension is the leading cause of death globally.
During the study, 213 middle-aged participants (50 to 70 years old) were assigned a high- or low-sodium diet for one week. The first added 2,200 milligrams of salt per day to their normal intake, the second included a total intake of 500 milligrams of salt per day. After 7 days, 72% of participants returning from a low-sodium diet had achieved a reduction in systolic blood pressure compared to the values normally recorded. The drop was about 6 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg), an effect similar to that produced by common blood pressure medications.
But a reduction was seen in all participants kept away from salt, including those who were currently taking antihypertensive medication.
"Just as any form of physical activity is better than none for most people, any reduction in sodium from the current diet is probably better than none for blood pressure in most people," comments Deepak Gupta, one of the authors. of study.
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