Salt Also Leads To Autoimmune Diseases !?

Author: Maryam Ayres Time for reading: ~1 minutes Last Updated: August 08, 2022

Salt Also Leads To Autoimmune Diseases !?

A specific group of immune cells leads to the appearance of a number of autoimmune diseases in conditions of increased salt content.

Three studies published in one of the most influential scientific journals - Nature, show that the amount of salt ingested with food can affect the immune balance in the body and participate in the occurrence of autoimmune diseases when it is too high.

In the three studies, the researchers focused on a group of immune cells called T cells, as they are actively involved in the destruction of pathogenic microorganisms and the course of autoimmune diseases. Scientists are particularly interested in how T cells develop.

In the course of the work, a specific type of immune cell called T H17 attracted the attention of researchers. The researchers found that in vitro, these cells are involved in a number of autoimmune diseases - multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis (ankylosing spondylitis), if the salt content of the intercellular substance is increased.

Although the results were obtained in vitro experiments and not in a clinical study, the researchers did not rule out the possibility that increased salt intake may in fact be a serious risk factor. They recommend adhering to the traditionally accepted norms for daily salt intake with food, and even advise to stay well below the maximum allowable amounts.

However, scientists point out that the current results are only experimental and that it is quite possible that many other factors play a role in the body to modify the effects of salt on the immune system in one direction or another. The authors emphasize that in all cases, the intake of larger amounts of salt is not directly responsible for the occurrence of autoimmune diseases. Rather, if the results of the studies are indeed clinically significant, it is an adjunct that combines with a number of others to ultimately lead to autoimmune disease. If this turns out to be true, however, it would be good to think seriously about the harmful side of our eating habits.

Salt Also Leads To Autoimmune Diseases !?

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