Ever caught yourself scrolling through your feed, only to stumble upon a new age dietary Galileo proclaiming the virtues of salting your water? In a world where everyone's a health guru, you might've heard this peculiar advice: “You need to add salt to your water to make it ‘work' better.”
Do you really need to infuse your water with salt, creating a mini oceanic experience, or is this just another overstated pseudoscience talking point?
Let's take a deep dive into the salty waters of this trend to find out if there's any science to back it up or if it's just another drop in the ocean of wellness myths.
Let’s begin by making sure we understand the science of blood pressure. Blood pressure (BP) is the force exerted by circulating blood against the walls of the body's arteries, the major blood vessels in the body. It's a vital sign of good health and a critical factor in diagnosing cardiovascular health. Take it from me, as a first responder, when I arrive on scene at a medical call, one of (if not the) first things we check is BP. It can tell us so much about a persons health status. If BP is off too much in either direction, we have ourselves a potential life or death emergency.
Sodium chloride, aka salt, plays several crucial roles in the body. It helps maintain fluid balance, is essential for nerve function and muscle contraction, and influences blood pressure levels. This is where I imagine the people who incessantly suggest everyone add salt to their water stop their research. Likely they see that sodium chloride plays a pivotal role in nerve function and muscle contraction and they get excited. Who wouldn’t? It’s pretty cool! However, in real world terms, the body requires a very small amount of sodium to perform all these functions well.
When you consume salt, your body holds onto water to maintain a sodium-water balance. More water increases the volume of blood inside your blood vessels, which raises your BP. High BP, or hypertension, forces the heart to work harder to pump blood to the body. This is no bueno.
Your kidneys play a key role in regulating sodium and water balance. They filter your blood, removing excess salt and water, which is then excreted as urine. When salt intake is high, the kidneys increase fluid retention to dilute the sodium, raising blood volume and, consequently, blood pressure.
So how bad is high BP anyways? Well, the short answer is pretty fucking bad. Every 20 mmHg increase in systolic blood pressure or 10 mmHg increase in diastolic blood pressure is associated with a DOUBLING of the risk of death from stroke, heart disease, and other vascular diseases. I think you should read that again. That is wild! Here’s the study: https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/epub/10.1161/01.HYP.0000121366.89530.1c
Numerous studies have shown a correlation between high salt intake and elevated blood pressure. For example, the landmark DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) study demonstrated that a diet low in sodium and rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy can significantly lower blood pressure. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11136953)
It's important to note that sensitivity to salt varies among individuals. Some people, known as "salt-sensitive," experience significant increases in blood pressure with salt intake, while "salt-resistant" individuals do not. Factors influencing salt sensitivity include genetics, age, race, activity levels and overall health in general.
Understanding the link between salt and blood pressure is crucial for maintaining cardiovascular health. By managing salt intake, people can significantly influence their blood pressure levels, reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases and promoting overall health and longevity.
Now for the fun part. If you are among the 1% (I’m totally making that number up) of humans who manage to sweat at a rate of about 1 liter per hour, then you may in fact need to add salt to your water. I know, I just spent the last several minutes of your life shitting all over salt but alas, there are always exceptions. Athletes, you're a different breed. When you sweat at an high rate, for a long enough period of time, you are losing a disproportionate amount of sodium. This can have a negative effect on nerve function and muscular contraction (hello cramps). So if you’re an athlete who sweats like a whore in church, you should probably add salt to your water. There are dozens of brands popping up that sell a balanced blend of electrolytes for this purpose. I like LMNT personally but have also heard really good things about SALTT.
So, should you be jazzing up your water with salt? For most of us, the answer is probably not. But like any good recipe, individual tastes vary. Consult with a nutritionist or your doctor to tailor the advice to your personal health cocktail.
Remember, while the internet is brimming with health hacks and tips, a dash of skepticism mixed with science-based advice is your best bet for a healthy life. Stay curious, stay informed, and keep your hydration game on point, with or without the extra salt.
Until next time,
Jake Louro
Louro Training