Salt Habits and Kidney Health: A Risky Connection

Original Article: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/high-salt-intake-linked-increased-risk-kidney-disease-2024a10001l4

The Link between Salt and Kidney Disease

A recent study using data from the UK Biobank suggests that people who often add salt to their meals might be unknowingly putting their kidneys at risk. We already know that too much salt can casue high blood pressure (hypeertension). The researchers found a connection between habitual salt intake and an increased likelihood of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD). 

Big Study, Big Findings

Researchers studied a large group of over 460,000 participants from the UK Biobank, aged 37-73. They investigated how adding table salt to food relates to the risk of CKD. The findings showed that those who frequently added salt had a higher risk of CKD, even after considering factors like age and gender. Surprisingly, even occasional salt users had a 7% higher risk compared to those who rarely added salt, and this risk increased to 29% for those who always added salt.

Unraveling the Health Puzzle

The researchers noted that people who added salt frequently generally also had poorer overall health. They were more likely to engage in unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking, and had conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Despite adjusting for various factors like ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and existing health conditions, the study still found a connection between salt habits and CKD risk. While the study has some limitations, the researchers suggest that reducing the frequency of salt additions to meals could potentially lower the risk of CKD, emphasizing the need for further investigation and validation of their results in future studies.