Study Indicates That High Salt Intake Breaks Down More Fat; Could It Help in Losing Weight?
A shocking new study by a German scientist claims that eating more salt could cause a person to lose weight. The finding is considered radical as it contradicts the long-held general assumption that a high salt intake encourages greater intake of fluids which increases weight.
Contrary to common belief, the results showed that high salt intake didn't increase thirst and that the amount of urine produced was similar with non-high salt days. This indicated that salt may cause the body to break down fat and produce fluids even without drinking.
Dr. Jens Titze, a kidney specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Erlangen, Germany made the discovery while studying Russian cosmonauts held in isolation to simulate space travel. He monitored the subjects' diet which included 12 grams of salt a day during a 28-day period.
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Titze was amazed to find out that the crew's urine volume increased even if they drank less water. "The body most likely had generated or produced water when salt intake was high," he said. Their urine also registered high salt content, but the amount of sodium in their blood remained constant, indicating that the salt was excreted.
Titze made more tests on his discovery using animals. His experiments revealed that mice eating a high-salt diet burnt more calories and ate 25 percent more to maintain their weight. The rodents also drank less water as the liquid required by the body was substituted by fat that was broken down by increased levels of glucocorticoid hormones.
However, Titze wouldn't recommend increased salt consumption for weight-loss programs. This is because more salt intake makes a person hungrier which would compel him/her to eat more. He also reminded that high glucocorticoid levels are linked to osteoporosis, muscle loss and type 2 Diabetes.
Moreover, salt obviously cannot be a substitute for water, and the public is still urged to drink enough fluids. Dr. Margaret McCartney of Glasgow, U.K. recommended drinking six to eight glasses of water a day to prevent dehydration. The amount should not include caffeinated and alcoholic beverages.
