Sodium Intake - Systolic Blood Pressure Increase page

[Cayenne]

Greetings:

As a 52 y.o., 185ish lb., long term moderate intensity but consistent exercising male, I have enjoyed blood pressure readings on the low side since I can remember. (approx. 110/65.)

Over the past ten days, I've made a concerted effort to attain ketosis and I have been consuming a half teaspoon of sea salt daily, (per Volek & Phinney,) in addition to liberally sprinkling it on my food. (I didn't touch salt for about a 30 year stretch at one point, accepting the C.W . that it, along with dietary fat, is "evil.")

I have a home BP device, and I have noticed a definite increase in my systolic BP readings. Approx. 132/65.

Implications? Cause for concern?

Thanks !

[Drumroll]

Salt most definitely increases blood pressure due to additional water retention, but as long as you're somewhat active and your kidneys are normal functioning, then this increase should be VERY temparary at best. You can keep tabs on it if you want, but I wouldn't worry about it.

[emmie]

Perhaps all those 'no salt' years have made you more sensitive to salt--or perhaps you are one of those people who is naturally sensitive to salt but you never knew it because you abstained.

I would watch it for a while to see whether you need to use a little less or whether you body just needed time to adjust.

If you happen to be sensitive to salt, you need to take that into consideration re your BP.

For example, I tend to run low BP, and even salting my food liberally doesn't affect my BP in any way, but I have other friends who have to be very careful with salt in order to control their BP.

[MarissaLinnea]

Doesn't look like your diastolic number has increased at all which is great!! I would probably continue to monitor it, but I don't think it's a problem. It becomes a bigger issue when the systolic and diastolic numbers start getting closer together.

[Damiana]

CW is right on that point, at least. Salt increases your body's water retention, an increased amount of water in your body and blood vessels leads to higher blood pressure. I used to be a salt hound myself, and I've discovered that after deliberately cutting out most of the sodium in my diet, that I've become more sensitive to salt in both my tastes and in my body's reaction to it. It's normal.