Healthy nutrition, intact body defense: German researchers have now investigated the effect of a popular spice on the immune system - with a surprising result.
- Not only a balanced diet, but also exercise, sufficient sleep and recovery phases help to keep our immune system intact *.
- Animal fats and sugar should be consumed in moderation and too much salt should also promote various diseases such as high blood pressure.
- Scientists from Bonn examined the effects of too much table salt on the immune system - and draw a logical conclusion.
The one who has added salt before tasting: do you know someone like that? It is a matter of taste how much salt a meal can take. But there is evidence that too much table salt is harmful to the body. It has long been proven that people with high blood pressure or diabetes should not eat too much salt. A healthy adult only needs around six grams of salt a day to get the essential trace elements sodium and chloride - that's the equivalent of a level teaspoon.
Anyone who frequently uses ready meals such as frozen pizza or fast food will often exceed this benchmark. In a study, German researchers have now analyzed what excessive salt consumption does to our bodies .
Too much salt weakens the immune response - bacteria can multiply faster
In a study published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, doctors from Bonn came to the conclusion that a salt-rich diet weakens the immune defense against bacterial infections - bacteria such as E. coli or listeria have an easier time of it. Christian Kurts and his team deduce this from studies on humans and mice. For example, pathogens of urinary tract infections * and other bacteria in mice had multiplied more quickly if their food had a relatively large amount of table salt added . The immune response also changed in people who had consumed a lot of salt for a week: The laboratory test showed that the immune cells reacted less strongly to the bacteria.
" We were able to show for the first time that excessive salt consumption weakens an important part of the immune system, " quotes the portal Science-Current Christian Kurts from the University Hospital Bonn. So far, the assumption was that too much salt has an inflammatory effect, which favors pathological immune reactions and autoimmune diseases.
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Not more than six grams of salt a day
In the mouse experiment, the scientists were able to demonstrate that too much salt in the feed weakened the activity of certain cells of the innate immune system, so-called neutrophil granulocytes. These cells are designed to render bacteria in the body harmless. As a result, typical intestinal bacteria such as E. coli could multiply faster in the animals. The same picture emerged in humans: ten healthy test subjects consumed twice the recommended daily dose of salt for a week - about twelve grams. A reduced activity of the granulocytes in the fight against E. coli bacteria was also observed in human blood . However, according to the study directors, the research results would now have to be checked in studies with patients. However, there are currently many indications that the maximum recommended daily amount of six grams of salt should not be exceeded.
More sources: www.diabetesde.org
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* merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network .