Too much salt can cause Alzheimer’s disease. How does the brain work if you eat a lot of salt?

Eating too much salt could be one of the causes of memory loss that is specific to Alzheimer’s disease, which is one of the most common forms of dementia. A new study shows that excess salt can affect blood flow to the brain and how our brain cells work.

In a study recently published in the journal Cell Reports, scientists explain how excessive salt consumption destroys the brain.

They used special brain scans to examine the hypothalamus, an important brain area that controls hormone balance, metabolism, body functions, and behavior. They found that people who ate a lot of salt had an unusual brain reaction.

When we eat a lot of salt, the brain tries to protect itself by controlling sodium levels in the blood. This causes the body to produce more of a hormone called vasopressin, which helps to keep sodium levels in the blood under control. Dr Javier Stern, a professor of neuroscience at the University of Georgia, explains this is very important.

Previous studies have suggested a possible link between neuronal activity and increased blood pressure. However, the researchers found that the activation of the neurotransmitters that determined the increased production of vasopressin triggered a decrease in blood circulation by narrowing the arteries in the brain.

We were surprised by the results because we had seen that blood vessels get narrower when people eat too much salt. This is often seen in patients with Alzheimer’s disease or after a heart attack or stroke. It’s like having your body always in a state of low oxygen, which slowly destroys brain tissue, the doctor explained.

The study raises important questions about how high blood pressure affects brain health, especially since more than half of cases of high blood pressure are linked to eating too much salt.

Foods that contain the most salt include cold cuts, pickles, canned goods, olives, smoked meats, marinated fish, cereals, bread, ketchup, soy sauce, mayonnaise, various vegetable seasoning mixes, chips, peanuts, popcorn, packet soups and multiple cheeses. The recommended daily amount of salt is approximately 5 grams or one teaspoon. But if you’re over 50 or already have high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, or osteoporosis, you should limit your salt intake to just 1.5 – 2 grams/day.