Too much salt consumption could increase the risk of suffering from this skin disease

American researchers from the University of California in San Francisco have revealed links between high salt consumption and an inflammatory skin disease that affects millions of French people. We will explain the details of the study to you in the following lines.

Salt, friend or foe?

Sodium plays an important role in maintaining hydration in our body and in the intestinal absorption of amino acids, glucose and water. L’World Health Organization (WHO) recommends consuming less than 5 g of salt/day for adults.

However, according to the WHO the average intake of adults worldwide is 4310 mg of sodium per day (equivalent to 10.78 g of salt per day). It is estimated that more than 1.8 million deaths each year are linked to overconsumption of salt, a well-established cause of high blood pressure and increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Excess sodium has harmful consequences for our health, including the appearance of dermatitis according to American researchers. Reducing sodium intake remains the most effective and cost-effective way to improve health.

Salt increases the risk of acute dermatitis and itching

In order to study the link between excessive salt consumption and the occurrence of acute dermatitis, American researchers from the University of California in San Francisco conducted a cross-sectional study using data from 215,832 adults aged 37 to 73 from the biomedical database: UK Biobank.

During their experiment, the researchers examined the sodium (Na) concentration in urine over 24 hours and compared this data with a possible diagnosis of atopic dermatitis.

Results : A 1 g increase in estimated sodium excretion in urine was associated with an 11% higher probability of atopic dermatitis diagnosisa 16% higher probability of active atopic dermatitis and an 11% higher probability of worsening atopic dermatitis,” the researchers reveal in their publication in the renowned journal JAMA Dermatology.