Reducing Sodium Intake Slows the Progression of Chronic Kidney Disease

The restriction of salt in daily food intake has been noted to lower blood pressure and reduce your risk of developing hypertension and cardiovascular disease.  While this is all very true, a recent study set to appear in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, found that reducing sodium intake provides outstanding benefits for those who suffer from chronic kidney disease and very likely can prolong their lives.

The kidneys play an important role in controlling salt balance, regulating extracellular fluid, filtering the blood and excreting waste and toxins from the body.  Chronic kidney disease is a slow and progressive disease in which the kidneys eventually stop functioning resulting in a rapid buildup of waste and fluid in the body.  Conditions such as diabetes and hypertension are all major risk factors in developing chronic kidney disease, which is why researchers speculated that reducing sodium intake could have positive effects on the progression of the disease.

The researchers in “the LowSALT CKD” study compared the effects of a high salt diet versus a low salt diet on patients who had chronic kidney disease for a total of 2 weeks.  Results from the study showed that after 2 weeks, patients on the low salt diet had a reduced excess extracellular fluid of 1 liter, lowered blood pressure and 50% less protein excretion in the urine.  The blood pressure reduction that came about from this sodium restriction is comparable to what is expected from an anti-hypertensive medication.  Therefore, it is possible that a low sodium diet can reduce the risk of progression of end stage kidney disease, which is categorized by complete kidney failure in which dialysis or a kidney transplant is needed for survival.

What’s great about this findings is that salt restriction is inexpensive, low risk and very beneficial not only to those with CKD but in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and maintaining overall health.   It is recommended that you should consume less than 1 teaspoon of salt each day.  Reduce sodium intake by purchasing fresh fruits, vegetables, poultry and fish, and avoid canned and processed foods.  When you do purchase canned foods such as beans, be sure to drain and rinse them thoroughly to remove any excess sodium.  When cooking, avoid using salt and experiment with fresh herbs and salt free seasoning blends – you will be surprised at how much flavor they add!

What efforts will you make to reduce sodium intake?

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