Salt
Episodes
In this clip, Dr. Rhonda Patrick explains sodium's impact on health, electrolyte use, blood pressure, and common misconceptions about sodium intake.
Dr. Rhonda Patrick discusses her supplement stack, avoiding microplastics, creatine for brain health, and mRNA vaccine autoimmunity risks.
Dr. Rhonda Patrick explores supplemental tyrosine, lion's mane, cordyceps, aging tests, and sunscreen's efficacy and safety in a Q&A.
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In this clip, Dr. Rhonda Patrick explains sodium's impact on health, electrolyte use, blood pressure, and common misconceptions about sodium intake.
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Dr. Rhonda Patrick discusses her supplement stack, avoiding microplastics, creatine for brain health, and mRNA vaccine autoimmunity risks.
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Dr. Rhonda Patrick explores supplemental tyrosine, lion's mane, cordyceps, aging tests, and sunscreen's efficacy and safety in a Q&A.
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Fasting mimicking diet treatment for multiple sclerosis (remyelinating axons & halting autoimmunity)Dr. Valter Longo describes how the fasting-mimicking diet can be beneficial in the treatment of various diseases, including multiple sclerosis.
Topic Pages
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Sodium (Salt)
Sodium plays a crucial role in human physiology, yet its consumption remains a topic of ongoing debate in health and nutrition science.
News & Publications
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Sex-specific differences in kidney function and related proteins may explain how sodium and potassium intake affect blood pressure differently in men and women. journals.physiology.org
High sodium intake raises blood pressure, while high potassium intake tends to lower it. However, these effects vary between men and women in ways that scientists do not yet fully understand. A recent study found that biological sex differences may influence how sodium and potassium affect blood pressure regulation, with the kidneys playing a crucial role in mediating these responses.
Researchers developed sex-specific computer models that simulate how the body regulates sodium, potassium, fluids, and blood pressure. These models incorporated key systems involved in this process, such as the kidneys, blood vessels, digestive system, and hormones that help manage blood pressure. The simulations accounted for known differences between men and women in kidney function, hormone responses, and nerve activity.
The models revealed that women’s blood pressure rises less than men’s in response to a high-sodium diet. This muted response appears to be due to differences in kidney transporter proteins, which control how the kidneys reabsorb sodium and potassium. However, when potassium intake increased, the models predicted a robust response wherein more potassium and sodium are excreted in urine, resulting in a substantial drop in blood pressure, even when sodium intake remains high.
These findings suggest that women possess a built-in advantage in managing high-sodium intake, likely due to differences at the kidney level. They also support increasing dietary potassium as an effective strategy for lowering blood pressure. Learn more about sodium needs in Aliquot #124: How much sodium do you actually need?
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Early life bacterial exposures influence immune health. www.the-scientist.com
The skin microbiota forms the body’s first line of defense against pathogens and external threats. Changes in environmental exposures can drive bacterial dysbiosis, a condition in which the overall makeup of the skin microbiota is altered. Bacterial dysbiosis is associated with allergies and sensitivities. A new study suggests that exposure to Acinetobacter bacteria early in life provides protection against inflammatory disorders and allergies. Acinetobacter bacteria are ubiquitous in the environment and are commonly found in soil.
The study was conducted among 180 children living in Karelia, a region that straddles the geopolitical borders of Finland and Russia. Whereas the Finnish side of Karelia is modernized, the Russian side has maintained a traditional lifestyle that involves farming and animal work. The children from the two regions were examined for symptoms of allergies and sensitivities to common allergens when they were between the ages of 7 and 11 years and again when they were between the ages of 15 and 20 years. Samples of the children’s skin and nasal microbiota were collected for analysis.
The prevalence of allergies and allergen sensitivities was 3 to 10-fold higher among Finnish children, compared to Russian children. In addition, Russian children rarely exhibited hay fever or peanut sensitivity. Generally, these findings were replicated at the 10-year follow-up examination. The children’s skin and nasal microbiota demonstrated notable differences. In particular, the Russian children’s microbiota had a diverse, abundant population of Acinetobacter bacteria. These findings suggest that early life exposures modulate the risk of developing allergies and allergen sensitivities later in life.