Salt in Your Diet Can Reduce the Strength of the Immune System

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As a recent study was released, we learn that the maximum amount of salt we need should be five grams/day. Researchers have discovered that choosing to eat too much salt is no good at all. Your immune system weakens, and it will be harder for your body to defend itself from bacterial infections.

A team of researchers gathered volunteers for the latest study. The participants consumed an additional six grams of salt/day and already displayed some immune deficiencies. Such an amount of salt corresponds to the salt content from two fast-food, two burgers, and two portions of French fries, the researchers stated.

After a week, they took blood samples from participants and analyzed the granulocytes. The immune cells seemed much damaged with bacteria after the test participants had begun to eat a salty diet.

Immune System Vs Salt

“We have now been able to prove for the first time that excessive salt intake also significantly weakens an important arm of the immune system,” explained Christian Kurts, one of the study’s researchers. He detailed, too, that the research results were unexpected.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends only five grams of salt/day. The amount represents almost one level teaspoon. In human volunteers, too much salt intake also showed raised glucocorticoid levels. The researchers needed a full set of tests and other investigations, as well. Only in a whole organism, they could unveil the complex control circuits that drive from salt intake to this immunodeficiency.

Similar research was performed on mice, too. The mice had a listeria infection. Listeria is bacteria that are found in contaminated food and can cause sepsis, fever, or vomiting. The mice’s urinary tract issues healed much more slowly when fed with high amounts of salt.

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