Salt, Healthy Blood Pressure Levels, and Libido: Highlights from the book The Salt Fix

I just finished reading the book The Salt Fix, and it addresses many topics which have come up in various threads here so I am posting some highlights, along with a few other items not covered in the book. The book has been out about ten years and I have heard many podcasts with the author, but the book covers many interesting details I don’t remember from any of the podcasts. So for those who like to read, I strongly recommend it, not only because of the useful information it contains, but because it is an ongoing example of how bad information is perpetuated to this day despite many lines of evidence and logic strongly suggesting that minimizing salt/sodium is terrible advice.



To summarize the book’s message in one sentence, the body can easily deal with too much salt in all but very rare extremes, however too little salt is surprisingly easy to achieve (especially for people who sweat a lot as most of us here between sauna and activity are likely doing, or who take drugs that have the side-effect of lowering sodium) and creates many non-intuitive forms of damage that the body cannot overcome without salt. (I am using salt and sodium interchangeably here, although technically sodium is a subset of salt.) A few highlights from the book include:

• Low Salt intake can lower libido and fertility, so those looking for things to raise either should err on the higher side of salt intake. This seems to be a very under-publicized issue given all the threads here and elsewhere looking for libido-boosting methods.
• Low potassium intake is far more likely to cause high blood pressure than high salt, and potassium should be one of the first things to look at to optimize blood pressure
• Low salt will raise heart rate and blood viscosity (both of which are harmful) to a degree that outweighs any benefit from a minor lowering of blood pressure, if it were to occur.
• Low salt can actually raise blood pressure in some cases and the negative of low salt extends to many body systems that have nothing to do with blood pressure
• There are commonly used drugs that can lower the amount of sodium in the body which would make avoiding salt even more dangerous.

The book is extensively referenced, and while I don’t have the knowledge to personally validate everything in it, the author cites numerous examples that back up the logic of his arguments, such as non-industrialized tribes with very low salt intake who also have very low fertility, to cite just one example. My only quibble with the book is that the author spends a lot of time making the case that sugar is causing much of the harm that salt has been blamed for, however more recently it has become clearer that excess intake of omega-6 fats is likely just as big a factor as sugar, however that doesn’t change the basic message of the book.

While not mentioned in the book, a couple of items to be aware of:

• People with large upper arms may often need a larger-than-standard cuff to get an accurate reading, and the standard cuffs may tend to read too high.
• Blood pressure readings can vary a lot so numerous readings under varying circumstances are necessary to start to get an accurate picture
• Blood pressure can tend to be higher in cold conditions
• If you are someone who doesn’t sweat very much in situations where you should like a sauna or working outdoors in the heat, this can be a sign that your body is low on something (like Iodine) that normally would be lost in sweat but which your body is trying to conserve. Sweat is also a key part of the body’s detox system and not something that you want to minimize.

Personally, since I raised my salt intake (especially in my pre-workout concoction) I have seen no rise in my blood pressure and if anything it has dropped a bit although that could be just random variation.

 

https://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/fulltext/S1550-4131(12)00491-3

JCI - High salt intake reprioritizes osmolyte and energy metabolism for body fluid conservation

www.jci.org

JCI - Increased salt consumption induces body water conservation and decreases fluid intake

www.jci.org

How the body regulates salt levels

A series of experiments with men in a space flight program and mice overturns long-held beliefs about thirst and reveals how the body controls its salt and water balance.

www.nih.gov

Yes, if I understand the studies and the book correctly, a lot of the book talks about how the body regulates sodium, and it has a lot of mechanisms for doing so. The body can conserve sodium, however the longer and the more it has to do so the more the conservation mechanisms create serious problems of their own. And like water and protein for example, the body can conserve sodium but it can't make it. I am now fairly confident that back in the 90's when I thought salt should be minimized, I was putting myself at fairly major risk playing basketball outside in the heat, to cite just one activity. Thankfully I ate a lot of pasta at the time which likely gave me enough to scrape by, but I wish I had known I was taking a severe and totally unnecessary risk.

The book also dismantles the "has been linked to" assertions that there is something about high salt meaningfully contributing to metabolic syndrome. Even if it did so in some small way, the things we already can be confident cause metabolic syndrome (seed oils, excess sugar and carbs, chronically elevated insulin, poor sleep, thyroid issues, lack of activity, poor micronutrient status, etc. ) would certainly overwhelm it as an issue.

I suggest people read the book as it does all of this far more justice than I can.

BTW, unlike Bigtex, I have no idea how much sodium I get. I eat no processed foods so I just try to make sure I don't get too little by adding it to my coffee and pre-workout, especially on sauna days or days when I am doing heavy work outdoors.

 

You could double your potassium

The only problem is I take Telmisartan which increases blood potassium levels. Last checked my serum potassium levels were 4.2 (3.5-5.2).

 

Good post! I will be adding this to my reading list.

We have salt company here in Utah:

Redmond Real Salt | Unrefined, Natural Sea Salt

Your one stop shop for all things Redmond. We carry pure, natural sea salt and bentonite clay mined from an ancient salt deposit right here in Redmond, Utah. From Real Salt to Re-Lyte Hydration electrolyte mix, try one of our US-mined products today.

redmond.life

I have used their products for years. I recently started using their electrolyte product, Re-Lyte. Great stuff! They make a pre workout drink as well.

Redmond Re-Lyte | Real Salt Electrolyte Powder

Redefine your understanding of electrolytes. Re-Lyte your body and mind with clean, effective electrolyte support that’s safe for fasting.

redmond.life

 

I just finished reading the book The Salt Fix, and it addresses many topics which have come up in various threads here so I am posting some highlights, along with a few other items not covered in the book. The book has been out about ten years and I have heard many podcasts with the author, but the book covers many interesting details I don’t remember from any of the podcasts. So for those who like to read, I strongly recommend it, not only because of the useful information it contains, but because it is an ongoing example of how bad information is perpetuated to this day despite many lines of evidence and logic strongly suggesting that minimizing salt/sodium is terrible advice.



To summarize the book’s message in one sentence, the body can easily deal with too much salt in all but very rare extremes, however too little salt is surprisingly easy to achieve (especially for people who sweat a lot as most of us here between sauna and activity are likely doing, or who take drugs that have the side-effect of lowering sodium) and creates many non-intuitive forms of damage that the body cannot overcome without salt. (I am using salt and sodium interchangeably here, although technically sodium is a subset of salt.) A few highlights from the book include:

• Low Salt intake can lower libido and fertility, so those looking for things to raise either should err on the higher side of salt intake. This seems to be a very under-publicized issue given all the threads here and elsewhere looking for libido-boosting methods.
• Low potassium intake is far more likely to cause high blood pressure than high salt, and potassium should be one of the first things to look at to optimize blood pressure
• Low salt will raise heart rate and blood viscosity (both of which are harmful) to a degree that outweighs any benefit from a minor lowering of blood pressure, if it were to occur.
• Low salt can actually raise blood pressure in some cases and the negative of low salt extends to many body systems that have nothing to do with blood pressure
• There are commonly used drugs that can lower the amount of sodium in the body which would make avoiding salt even more dangerous.

The book is extensively referenced, and while I don’t have the knowledge to personally validate everything in it, the author cites numerous examples that back up the logic of his arguments, such as non-industrialized tribes with very low salt intake who also have very low fertility, to cite just one example. My only quibble with the book is that the author spends a lot of time making the case that sugar is causing much of the harm that salt has been blamed for, however more recently it has become clearer that excess intake of omega-6 fats is likely just as big a factor as sugar, however that doesn’t change the basic message of the book.

While not mentioned in the book, a couple of items to be aware of:

• People with large upper arms may often need a larger-than-standard cuff to get an accurate reading, and the standard cuffs may tend to read too high.
• Blood pressure readings can vary a lot so numerous readings under varying circumstances are necessary to start to get an accurate picture
• Blood pressure can tend to be higher in cold conditions
• If you are someone who doesn’t sweat very much in situations where you should like a sauna or working outdoors in the heat, this can be a sign that your body is low on something (like Iodine) that normally would be lost in sweat but which your body is trying to conserve. Sweat is also a key part of the body’s detox system and not something that you want to minimize.

Personally, since I raised my salt intake (especially in my pre-workout concoction) I have seen no rise in my blood pressure and if anything it has dropped a bit although that could be just random variation.

Watched a video months ago on YT which featured the author, James Nicolantonio, PhD. Don't recall if he's a physiologist or biochemist, but a real scientist involved in research. I've always had a high salt intake since my teens(73, now). I also have a history of mild adrenal dysfunction.

 

This month...

View attachment 36070

Nice work

 

I've noticed my wellbeing is much better with a huge bump in potassium. Dr. Berg has a ton of videos on it. Not saying he is the messiah of all health but I do like his videos on this topic. I drink low sodium V8 because it provides almost a gram of pottasium in just one cup. My muscles are fuller, i look leaner, and my mind is sharper when I get plenty of the main electrolytes, sodium, potassium, and magnesium.

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This Doctor is a JA .. I wouldn’t listen to him lol …

 

Salt's great for you. I used to get cramps in my calfs, quads, and abs regularly. Since upping my salt intake (iodized), i virtually never get cramps. It also increases my energy and physical performance.

 

The Benefits of Sodium

<p>If you’re not monitoring your sodium intake, you’re leaving a lot on the platform or stage. Here’s how. </p>

www.elitefts.com

 

The Effect of High Salt Intake on Endothelial Function: Reduced Vascular Nitric Oxide in the Absence of Hypertension

Abstract. Within the last 25 years, it has become increasingly clear that high dietary salt intake represents a risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease that is independent of its well-known ability to increase arterial pressure in some individuals. Studies in normotensive...

karger.com

Mechanisms of Dietary Sodium-Induced Impairments in Endothelial Function and Potential Countermeasures

Despite decades of efforts to reduce sodium intake, excess dietary sodium remains commonplace, and contributes to increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality independent of its effects on blood pressure. An increasing amount of research suggests that high-sodium diets lead to reduced nitric...

www.mdpi.com

High Dietary Sodium Intake Impairs Endothelium-Dependent Dilation in Healthy Salt-Resistant Humans - PMC

Excess dietary sodium has been linked to the development of hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases. In humans, the effects of sodium consumption on endothelial function have not been separated from the effects on blood pressure. The present ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Those darn "observational studies".

 

It's "funny" how divided the stances on salt, among many other things are, how can both be scientifically right at the same time, we will probably never reach a consensus on this

 

It's "funny" how divided the stances on salt, among many other things are, how can both be scientifically right at the same time, we will probably never reach a consensus on this

The only consensus is that there is no consensus on most anything. Most everything comes down to the individual. Although there are those with empirical arrogance who deem themselves as messiahs. YouTube is rife with them.

 

It's "funny" how divided the stances on salt, among many other things are, how can both be scientifically right at the same time, we will probably never reach a consensus on this

My position is that both stances are correct: our health suffers when salt intake is too low, and when it is too high.

 

My position is that both stances are correct: our health suffers when salt intake is too low, and when it is too high.

I tend to side with this, but with all the literature the folks saying there is no such thing as too much are making fools of themselves, on the low sodium front nobody is saying you don't need any salt, so the other extreme is missing. One big argument is looking at whole foods, did our forefathers always have salt at hand or could they survive on whole foods which do not provide much sodium. Could also be the body being so efficient at tolerating high sodium is an adaptation to the era when meat was preserved in salt, some evidence suggest that all cause mortality from CVD went down when refrigerators were invented.

But to your comment, the big question is how do we know how much is right, since the bad effects of too much may not be visible until much later?

 

But to your comment, the big question is how do we know how much is right, since the bad effects of too much may not be visible until much later?

All i know is that if i have a very intensive workout and i've sweated a lot, if i don't take extra salt with my water, i'll be getting cramps later on. There's nothing like waking up at 3am with cramp in a calf, throwing yourself out of bed, then getting another cramp in the thigh. This was a regular thing for me for years - no amount of magnesium or taurine or even quinine would help. It was after watching a video by the powerlifter Stan Efferding on salt that i tried including more after workouts that the cramps stopped completely. This doesn't mean i think we should all be consuming huge amounts of salt, but i don't think it should be avoided either. Most of the time if i want to season food with salt, i'll use Lo-Salt (potassium based). But if i've had a hard workout, and lost a lot of sweat, i know i'll need to replace the lost sodium. Everything in moderation.

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Obv the answer is that we need a balance of electrolytes in the body. It’s literally that simple. It’s not even debatable. It’s biology 101. Pretty sure we would die without any salt/ sodium. And then obv too much of anything isn’t good. That’s also just common sense. Too little or too much of anything isn’t good. Balance is key with everything in life

And there’s a decent chance that people commonly having refrigerators in their homes in the U.S. correlated with less CVD, but it has nothing to do with salt/ sodium intake. Salt/ sodium isn’t what causes CVD. CVD is caused mainly by chronic inflammation and insulin resistance. If refrigerators were in fact a catalyst to CVD rates decreasing, it was most likely due to people having the luxury of being able to consume more fresh whole foods, and not having to rely on processed foods that have a long shelf life as much.

And as far as our ancestors salt/ sodium intake goes, u don’t need much salt/ sodium to have optimal health. Throughout most of human evolution, our ancestors would follow and hunt heard animals, and consume them nose to tail. And then a small portion of their calories would sometimes come from foraging things like fruit (when available/ in season), and nuts, seeds, some plants, honey, tubers, etc. But the very heavy majority of our ancestors diets always came from consuming whatever animals we hunted. And there’s plenty of sodium that comes from consuming a ruminant animal nose to tail. I would assume the blood of the animal contains the most sodium. But there’s sodium in the muscle tissue and organs of the animal as well.

Eggs also naturally contain sodium. Anyone that has ever consumed them raw can attest to that. U can literally taste the sodium when swallowing them

Also, our ancestor’s water would naturally contain electrolytes. So they would get a good amount of sodium just from whatever water they would intake

So overall, our ancestors would never have to go out of their way to find and consume salt, in order to survive/ have optimal health

 

With all that being said, the type of salt u consume does make a difference. Obv unrefined salt from natural sources with natural trace minerals in it is going to be what u want to consume, whenever adding salt to food or liquids. U obv want to avoid refined salt with things like anti-caking chemicals in them/ salt that’s void of any trace minerals

And another thing to consider when consuming salt is its heavy metal content. That actually might be more of a concern when consuming unrefined natural sources of salt. I personally switched recently from using Celtic sea salt to bajagold salt, after watching this vid by Paul Saladino

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Thankfully we all have a choice when it comes to salt (unless you live on packaged meals or take aways). I'm more bothered by the fluoride added to our water system here in the UK. The Britta filter i use won't remove that, and reverse osmosis filter systems are very expensive.

 

Thankfully we all have a choice when it comes to salt (unless you live on packaged meals or take aways). I'm more bothered by the fluoride added to our water system here in the UK. The Britta filter i use won't remove that, and reverse osmosis filter systems are very expensive.

Ugh, that sucks. Is fluoride in most water in the UK?

It’s obv easy to not drink water from the tap, but what about showering? Ur obv breathing in the fluoride in the shower, which obv isn’t good. Unless u can get a filter to add to ur shower head that can remove fluoride. Not sure if that’s possible

 

I've also been using potassium enriched salt, obv i'm not getting those precious trace minerals, but hard to say if extra potassium is a bigger advantage, the invention of sodium salt was a big deal decades ago allegedly, a way to further reduce sodium intake after it had been figured out that going to refrigerators cut back sodium intake considerably and people started dying less. Well, i am not saying i know for a fact that CVD are caused by sodium but lowering it has reduced LVH for one.

 

Ugh, that sucks. Is fluoride in most water in the UK?

It’s obv easy to not drink water from the tap, but what about showering? Ur obv breathing in the fluoride in the shower, which obv isn’t good. Unless u can get a filter to add to ur shower head that can remove fluoride. Not sure if that’s possible

I don't think it's added to water in all areas of the UK, but where i am (West Midlands) it definitely is.
I didn't realise that the tap water in the USA had fluoride added to it too, but according to wikipedia it does:

Water fluoridation by country - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org