Salt not only makes you fat - new studies show: it endangers the psyche!

Salt not only makes you fat - new studies show: it endangers the psyche!

New research results show that high salt consumption not only affects the heart, but could also increase the risk of psychological problems such as depression. A study by Nanjing Medical University has examined the influence of salt on the behavior of mice and found that a salt -rich diet is connected to symptoms that are reminiscent of depressive moods. Mice that were fed with a lot of salt showed less movement and less interest in their surroundings. These behavioral changes were triggered by an increased production of the IL-17A protein, which is correlated with depression. IL-17A is produced by Gamma-Delta-T cells, the activity of which also increases with the salt consumption of the mice. Interestingly, the elimination of these cells led to improving depressive symptoms in the animals, which indicates that diet changes could offer new approaches to treat depression. These findings are particularly relevant, since in many western countries of salt consumption often above the maximum of five grams per day recommended by the WHO, and high salt consumption is traditionally considered a problem for the heart and circulation, but is now also recognized as a potential threat to psychological health. OE24 reports that it can be unclear whether salt can trigger depression in humans, even if the indications increase.

At this point, it is important to look at the connection between salt consumption and stress. Another study by the University of Edinburgh illuminates how an increased salt supply affects the stress level. These research, published in the journal "Cardiovascular Research", show that mice that normally had a low-salt diet experienced an activation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-nine-native axis after two weeks of salt-rich feeding. This activation leads to an increased glucocorticoid reaction to stress. The results suggest that stress hormones in these mice were twice as high in both rest phases and in environmental stress as in normal -eating mice, which indicates a significant impairment of psychological well -being. Heilpratznet notes that an increased salt intake can also increase the activity of genes that control proteins in the brain that control the stress response.

risks of high salt consumption

The German Nutrition Society recommends consuming up to six grams of salt every day. Nevertheless, around 70% of women and 80% of men eat more than this amount every day. This not only affects blood pressure, which increases due to high salt consumption and increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, but could also have an impact on mental health. High blood pressure is also associated with an increased risk of vascular dementia.

The combination of these results illustrates that the topic of salt consumption affects far more than just physical health. It raises questions about our diet and the potential long -term consequences that go beyond physical symptoms and can also affect the mental constitution. Further studies are necessary to examine the potential changes in behavior such as fear and aggression through high salt consumption.