31 July 2012
People who follow diets that are high in salt are at an increased risk of developing osteoporosis in later life, according to a new study.
Research carried out by a team at the University of Alberta, led by principal investigator Todd Alexander, have established a link between sodium and calcium which they think may also be responsible for increasing a person's risk of developing kidney stones.
The experts found that high levels of calcium in the urine can lead to kidney stones, while inadequate levels of calcium in the body can thin the bones and speed up the onset of osteoporosis.
Writing in the American Journal of Physiology - Renal Physiology, Mr Alexander, a researcher in the faculty of medicine and dentistry at the university, explained that when the body tries to get rid of sodium via urine, it also gets rid of calcium at the same time.
"This is significant because we are eating more and more sodium in our diets, which means our bodies are getting rid of more and more calcium," he added.
"Our findings reinforce why it is important to have a low sodium diet and why it is important to have lower sodium levels in processed foods."
Posted by Philip Briggs
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