Salt Sense: What Your Body Wants You to Know

Article by Dr. Donald Greig

This newsletter was inspired by a recent article in The Times by Peta Bee, which sparked a broader conversation about how salt affects our health. Her full article can be reviewed below. It also follows on from our earlier discussions in my newsletters: “Salt Shock: The Surprising Truth About Your Favourite Soups,” and “Crystal Clear: Demystifying Salt Types and Their Health Consequences”  where we explored hidden sources of sodium and common misconceptions about different salt types.

Most of us know that too much salt can raise blood pressure and increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. But salt’s impact goes far beyond the heart. Excess sodium affects nearly every system in the body — including your brain, bones, skin, gut, and even your mood.

Let’s explore what that means in practical terms.

🧠 Your Brain and Mood

Emerging research suggests that high salt intake may influence stress pathways in the brain. Excess sodium appears to stimulate stress hormones such as cortisol and may activate parts of the nervous system linked to anxiety. Some studies suggest this could make people feel more tense or “on edge.”

High salt diets have also been associated with poorer sleep. One theory is that elevated sodium levels alter fluid balance and nighttime blood pressure regulation, leading to lighter, more fragmented sleep. Poor sleep, in turn, worsens stress and mood - creating a cycle.

💪 Muscle Strength and Fatigue

Sodium plays a key role in nerve signalling and muscle contraction. However, chronically excessive intake can disrupt the delicate balance between sodium and potassium - both of which are essential for proper muscle function.

When this balance is disturbed:

• Muscles may feel weaker

• Cramps can occur

• Recovery after exercise may worsen

Over time, some studies suggest that high sodium intake may contribute to subtle declines in muscle performance, especially in older adults.

🦴 Bone Health

Too much salt increases calcium loss in the urine. When calcium is continually lost this way, the body may draw it from bones to maintain blood levels.

Over time, this can:

• Weaken bone density

• Increase osteoporosis risk

• Raise fracture risk

This is particularly important for postmenopausal women and older adults.

🦠 Your Gut Microbiome

Your gut contains trillions of bacteria that regulate immunity, inflammation, and metabolism.

High-salt diets have been shown to:

• Reduce beneficial Lactobacillus species

• Promote pro-inflammatory immune responses

This imbalance (dysbiosis) may contribute not only to hypertension, but also to autoimmune and inflammatory conditions.

😟 Joints and Inflammation

Many patients report that high-salt meals make them feel “puffy” or achy. Sodium promotes fluid retention, which can increase pressure within tissues and joints. High salt intake may also stimulate inflammatory pathways, potentially worsening joint discomfort in susceptible individuals.

🩺 Stomach Cancer Risk

High salt intake has been associated with an increased risk of stomach (gastric) cancer. Salt may damage the stomach lining and enhance the effects of Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium linked to gastric cancer.

🌿 Skin Conditions

If you suffer from eczema or psoriasis, high salt intake may worsen inflammation. Research suggests sodium can influence immune cells involved in inflammatory skin disorders, potentially aggravating flare-ups.

😴 Stress and Sleep

Recent research indicates that salt may activate stress-related brain pathways. Elevated sodium levels may influence the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, increasing stress hormone production.

In addition:

• Fluid shifts may disrupt sleep quality

• Elevated nighttime blood pressure can fragment rest

Over time, poor sleep further impacts mood, immunity, and metabolic health.

⚖️ How Much Salt Is Recommended?

Most guidelines recommend:

• Less than 5–6 grams of salt per day(about one teaspoon total, including hidden salt in processed foods)

Remember: around 70–80% of our salt intake often comes from processed foods - including breads, sauces, ready meals, and soups - as discussed in our earlier article “Salt Shock.”

🧂 Are Some Salts Healthier?

As discussed in “Crystal Clear,” whether it’s Himalayan pink salt, sea salt, or table salt - the sodium content is broadly similar. Trace minerals in specialty salts are present in very small amounts and do not offset the risks of excessive sodium.

The key is total intake, not the type of salt.

🌱 Healthier Alternatives

To reduce salt without sacrificing flavour:

• Use herbs and spices (rosemary, turmeric, cumin)

• Add citrus or vinegar for brightness

• Choose potassium-rich foods (spinach, beans, bananas)

• Opt for low-sodium products

• Rinse canned foods

Potassium helps counterbalance sodium’s effects by supporting healthy blood vessel function and fluid balance.

🚨 What Happens If You Have Too Little Salt?

While excess intake is common, too little sodium can also be dangerous.

Severely low sodium (hyponatraemia) may cause:

• Headaches

• Confusion

• Nausea

• Muscle weakness

• In severe cases, seizures

However, true sodium deficiency is uncommon in healthy individuals eating a balanced diet. It is more likely in cases of prolonged vomiting, excessive sweating without replacement, certain medications, or medical conditions.

The Take-Home Message

Salt is essential but moderation is key.

Too much sodium doesn’t just affect your blood pressure. It may impact:

• Mood and stress

• Sleep quality

• Bone strength

• Gut health

• Joint comfort

• Skin inflammation

• Long-term cancer risk

Being mindful of hidden sources of salt, particularly in processed foods - is one of the simplest ways to support overall health.

If you have questions about your salt intake, blood pressure, bone health, or diet, we are always happy to discuss this with you.

Disclaimer: This newsletter is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider for any medical concerns.

Source

How much salt are you really having? What it does to your body — and brain

Article by Peta Bee

We all know by now that too much salt in our diets is bad news for our blood pressure. But recent studies have warned that excess salt may be worse for our health than we think, raising the risk of everything from skin problems to poor sleep and low mood to aching joints. Now researchers have revealed that diets high in salt affect brain health and can permanently damage the memory of men in their sixties and older.

Dr Samantha Gardener, a research fellow at Edith Cowan University’s McCusker Alzheimer’s Research Foundation in Australia, found that higher sodium consumption may reduce episodic memory, the type used to recall personal experiences and specific events such as where you put your keys or parked your car. Looking at the sodium intake and cognitive decline of 1,208 participants over a six-year period, Gardener and her team showed that men who ate the most salt showed a faster decline in episodic recall.

In this study, which was published in Neurobiology of Aging, no such associations were observed in women, although other researchers have suggested a link with salt intake and poor cognition in men and women from midlife onwards.

Scientists are unclear about precisely how salt affects memory, but Gardener says it could be that high sodium intake causes inflammation in the brain, damage to blood vessels and reduced blood flow to the brain. “There is some indication from previous studies that high sodium may contribute to processes in the brain associated with cognitive decline, however further investigation will be critical to determine the underlying mechanisms,” she says.

The British Heart Foundation says eating too much salt significantly increases the risk of high blood pressure, a key cause of heart attacks, strokes and other serious diseases, including vascular dementia caused by reduced blood flow to the brain, which damages and eventually kills brain cells.

Salt contains sodium, which helps to regulate fluid balance in the body. But when we consume too much extra water is drawn into our bloodstream, putting immense strain on the heart and blood vessels. In the UK the government recommends a maximum of 6g salt a day for adults to stay healthy. Targets set by the World Health Organization (WHO) are even lower at less than 5g, or just under a teaspoon, daily. “Current figures show that adults in England eat an average of 8.4g of salt a day,” says Sonia Pombo, a nutritionist and head of research at the campaign group Action on Salt. “But we are concerned that those figures could be creeping up.” Pombo says we could all do with cutting down. Here’s why:

What it does to your blood pressure and heart disease risk

This is the biggie. An estimated 30 per cent of UK adults have high blood pressure, which is linked to about half of all heart attacks and strokes, according to the British Heart Foundation. A high intake of salt makes it harder for your kidneys to remove fluid, causing a build-up in your system that increases blood pressure. Eating less salt is one of the simplest and most effective ways to reduce the risk and Action on Salt says that cutting salt in line with the WHO recommendations could prevent up to 135,000 new cases of coronary heart disease by 2030. No variety of pure salt — from Celtic and Himalayan to plain table salt — is better or worse for your blood pressure. You either need to cut down or use a lower-salt alternative (see below).

How much salt? — Bread

• Sourdough bread0.39g per slice

• Pittas (wholemeal or white)0.33g per pitta

• Brown bread (supermarket, sliced) 0.38g per slice

• Bagels0.53g per bagel

The impact on your mood 

High salt intakes have long been associated with low mood, and last year a study of 276,138 midlifers published in the Journal of Affective Disorders found the more salt people added to food the greater their risk of anxiety and depression. One reason could be that salt seems to drive the production of a protein called IL-17A, identified as a contributor to low mood. A separate study last year by Dr Xiaojun Chen, a researcher at Nanjing Medical University in China, and published in the Journal of Immunology found that mice fed a high sodium diet for five weeks showed less interest in exploring and more inactivity compared to mice fed a normal diet. Chen says his findings could pave the way for “dietary interventions, such as salt reduction, as a preventive measure for mental illness”.

Too much salt might weaken your bones

One in two women and one in five men over the age of 50 break a bone at least once, mainly due to poor bone health, says the Royal Osteoporosis Society. Calcium is critical for strong bones and not getting enough of the mineral in your diet increases the risk of osteoporosis. But salt also plays a role in keeping bones strong. “Sodium is a major player in controlling the amount of calcium excreted in urine and lost from the bones, so a high intake can possibly lead to bone weakening,” Pombo says. A study of post-menopausal women in Aging Medicine journal confirmed that those with high intakes of salt had compromised bone health that could put them at risk of osteoporosis.

Shaking salt on your food could raise the risk of stomach cancer

Adding salt to your food at the table is a habit that needs curbing, not least because a shake of the cellar could raise your risk of stomach cancer. “Salt provides the perfect environment for stomach cancer,” Pombo says. “It is known to damage the stomach lining, enhancing the growth of Helicobacter pylori bacteria associated with the disease.” Using data from the 470,00 members of the UK Biobank, a team from Queens University Belfast found that those who reported always adding salt to their food had a 39 per cent higher risk of developing gastric cancer over 11 years than those who rarely or never added salt. Alysha Thompson, a researcher in the school of biological sciences and one of the authors, says that their findings, published in Gastric Cancer, confirm that “the simple act of adding salt to food is a significant and easily measurable behaviour linked to increased gastric cancer risk”.

How much salt? — Cheese

• Mozzarella 0.09g per 30g serving

• Parmesan0.49g per 30g serving

• Cathedral City mature cheddar0.6g per 30g serving

• Feta0.7g per 30g serving

• Halloumi 0.78g per 30g serving

Skin conditions might get worse

Too much salt can cause inflammation and dehydration, both of which affect the appearance of skin. But a high salt diet can also have a possible effect on the risk and severity of eczema, according to Dr Zainab Laftah, consultant dermatologist at HCA The Shard in London. One Jama study involving UK Biobank participants found salt to aggravate the immune system’s T-helper cells, prompting an inflammatory response associated with chronic allergies such as eczema. It showed that for every extra gram of sodium consumed daily — that’s roughly half a teaspoon of salt — the risk of eczema increased by 22 per cent. In 2025, dermatologists from China and Sweden who carried out a large study of 433,788 people found that frequently adding salt to foods at the table was significantly associated with a raised risk of psoriasis. Participants who “always” added salt to foods had a 25 per cent greater risk of the skin condition than those who “never/rarely” added it.

Too much sodium could make your joints ache

“There’s evidence that high salt diets increase the kind of immune-driven inflammation linked to conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis,” Pombo says. But it is also thought that there is a link between sodium intake and other knee joint pain. It’s been suggested that this could be in part due to the effect sodium has on triggering the secretion of IL-17 — the same protein linked to mental health decline — which causes cartilage destruction in joints. Indonesian researchers have suggested that it “is necessary to reduce sodium intake in the diet of osteoarthritis patients”.

How much salt? — Meat

• Chorizo 1.07g per 6 slices

• Parma ham1.09g per 2 slices

• Cured sliced ham1.38g per 2 slices

• Smoked back bacon 1.49g per 2 rashers

Is salt making you more stressed?

Eating a lot of salt could lead to rising stress levels, according to academics at the University of Edinburgh. When they fed mice levels of salt comparable to high intakes in a human diet it led to higher amounts of stress hormones and heightened response to stressors compared with animals given a low salt diet. “This study now tells us that high salt in our food also changes the way our brain handles stress,” says Matt Bailey, a professor of renal physiology and one of the authors of the paper in Cardiovascular Research.

Trouble sleeping? Check your salt intake

If you struggle to nod off or stay asleep it could be your salt intake that is to blame. Too much sodium has a significant association with poor sleep quality and short sleep duration in men and women, with researchers from Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine in Korea showing it also increased the urge to go to the loo during the night. If you suffers from obstructive sleep apnoea, when breathing stops and starts as you sleep, then reducing salt intake could pay off. Symptoms of the condition include snoring, which can keep you and others awake. A study of almost 500,000 UK participants in Respiratory journal found the “habit of adding salt to foods was associated with a higher risk of incident sleep apnoea” and that cutting down helped to prevent it.

How much salt? — Tins and jars

• Tinned tomatoes0.06g per 400g tin

• Sacla pesto2.7g per 100g serving

• Rio Mare tuna in olive oil1.1g per drained 160g tin

• Parmentier sardines in olive oil1.2g per drained 135g tin

• Anchovy fillets in oil1.72g per 4 fillets

• Marmite0.86g per 8g/1 tsp serving

• Baked beans2.6g per 415g tin

Your muscle strength could deteriorate

We all experience a drop in muscle mass, called sarcopenia, as we age, with weight training and a healthy diet the best ways to stem the decline. Cutting down on salt can now be added to that list. When the diets of people in their sixties and older have been analysed and compared with their grip strength and sit-to-stand ability, key markers of upper and lower body strength, those with salty diets invariable fare worse. Japanese scientists reporting in the journal Nutrients found that high salt intakes may lead to fat accumulation and muscle weakness associated with sarcopenia. Another study from China published in the same journal suggested that “avoiding high salt diets may play a role in preserving muscle strength and physical function in the elderly”.

It can upset delicate balance of the gut

An often overlooked side-effect of too much salt is that it can throw our gut bacteria out of balance, promoting the growth of pro-inflammatory species and reducing beneficial ones. “This gastrointestinal effect can spill over into the body and contribute to chronic low-grade systemic inflammation that’s bad news for the heart, blood pressure, and overall metabolic health,” Ruani says.

How much salt? — Sauce and spreads

• Meridian crunchy peanut butter (no added salt)0g per 15g/1 tbsp

• Hellmann’s mayonnaise0.17g per 15g/1 tbsp serving

• Lurpak salted butter0.2g per 15g/1 tbsp serving

• Heinz ketchup0.2g per 15g/1 tbsp serving

• Thai Dragon sriracha 1.2g per 15g/1 tbsp serving

It can make your skin age faster

A high-salt diet may accelerate skin ageing. “High salt intakes have been shown to increase oxidative stress, promoting local inflammation, and contributing to the breakdown of collagen and elastin in skin,” Ruani says. “This has been demonstrated in several animal studies, including a 2024 paper in Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, although it’s tricky to do controlled studies in humans due to ethical constraints.”

Should you choose a low-salt alternative?

Last year new WHO guidelines recommended that consumers switch to potassium-enriched salt products. Potassium in the diet helps to remove salt from the blood stream. Writing in the Lancet, researchers from Imperial College London said that “large-scale studies, including randomised controlled trials, have shown that potassium-enriched salt substitutes can reduce systolic blood pressure by an average of 3.3mm/Hg, and among those with a previous stroke, can reduce the rate of recurrent stroke by 14 per cent and early death by 12 per cent”. For home cooking you could try products such as Pinchful (pinchful.com), which has 30 per cent less sodium than regular salt, or LoSalt (uk.losalt.com) with 66 per cent less.

How much salt? — Cereals

• Dorset Gloriously Nutty muesli0.02g per 45g serving

• Kellogg’s bran flakes0.2g per 30g serving

• Kellogg’s corn flakes0.34g per 30g serving

Is too little salt bad for us?

While too much salt has a negative influence on health, so does too little. Gardener says that sodium serves several important physiological functions and is inextricably linked to the maintenance of the body. Salt is needed by every one of the body’s cells and required to regulate fluid balance as well as for nerves and muscles (including those in the heart) to function well. But Pombo says we need roughly less than 1g daily for our bodies to perform physiological functions and to stay healthy.

How much salt should children have?

The NHS warns that babies should not be given salt because their kidneys are not developed enough to process it. For older children salt intake should be limited to no more than 2g daily at 1-3 years old, 3g daily at 4-6 years, and 5g at 7-10 years. Salt should not be added to food for children. “Even foods that don’t taste ‘salty’ contain small amounts of sodium,” says Alex Ruani, a nutrition researcher at University College London and the chief science educator at the Health Sciences Academy. “Over the course of a normal diet, this adds up quickly.”

How much salt? — Snacks

• KP dry roasted peanuts0.51g per 30g serving

• Kettle salt and vinegar crisps1.14g per 50g serving

• Proper Chips barbecue lentil chips1.26g per 50g serving

Disclaimer: This newsletter is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider for any medical concerns.