Does Low Salt Diet Help to Reduce Hypertension in Chronic Kidney Disease

Hypertension is a common complication of chronic kidney disease patients, because it does not only cause further damage to the kidneys, but also impair heart so as to threaten your life. Does low salt diet help to reduce hypertension in chronic kidney disease?

How does salt affects blood pressure?

Salt is a great source of sodium, which is an essential element in our bodies. When kidneys are healthy, they can remove them from the blood. But due to chronic kidney disease, they gradually lose their ability to filter waste products. As a result, sodium builds up in the blood. Sodium attracts water. And then water comes into the blood. More water increases the volume of blood which raises blood pressure. Low salt diet reduces sodium and water retention so as to help you reduce blood pressure.

How to follow a low salt diet for CKD patients?

Generally speaking, when you have severe edema and high blood pressure, you should control salt intake into 2 g per day and sometimes you should avoid salt intake. Under normal circumstance, you should follow a low salt intake, about 3 g per day. Besides table salt restriction, you should limit the intake of food high in salt, such as canned products, bacon, pickles, etc.

A low salt diet does not mean you should avoid salt intake. When you can not take enough salt, you may suffer from weakness, drowsiness, poor appetite, rapid heartbeat, even coma, etc. Therefore, you should have a clear mind of a low salt diet.

Low salt diet helps to reduce hypertension in chronic kidney disease. If you want to control your disease better, you should not only follow a low salt diet, but also a low protein diet. For more information about CKD diet, please contact online doctor or leave a message below.