Question

Why would too much salt intake cause someone to develop high blood pressure?

Answer 1

Answer: salt intake increases the sodium level in the blood and will make the body retain excess water thereby giving the heart more work to do.

Explanation: Eating salt increases the quantity of sodium in blood and it creates an imbalance in the sodium and potassium levels. The high level of salt reduces the ability of the kidneys to excrete water. Too much sodium increases blood pressure because it holds excess fluid in the body and that results to an added burden on the heart. Excess sodium intake will increase risk of osteoporosis, stomach cancer, stroke, heart failure and kidney disease.

The result is a higher blood pressure due to the fact that the body will have the tendency of retaining more fluids because of the excess salt.