Taking too much sodium and too little potassium could be the cause of early cognitive decline, here’s what a recent study reveals.
The correlation between ours Power supplythe benefits or otherwise of some substances and the onset of diseases is already known to the scientific world. Recent research has added another piece.
Indeed, according to some experts, a diet rich in sodium and at the same time low in potassium could accelerate the processes of cognitive declineand therefore lead to the onset of degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
But how come they were considered these two elements? According to the researchers it is already established that taking too much sodium in the diet can cause disturbances in brain health. While on the contrary a diet with abundant potassium helps to ward off brain diseases. Here’s what emerged from a recent study, published in Science Direct.
Too much sodium and too little potassium, this is how cerebral dementia is reached
Science has long known theimportance of sodium and potassium for the proper functioning of the body. Both substances must be taken at specific levels. They they also affect blood pressure and fluid volume, and therefore have a direct effect on cardiovascular health.
Indeed we all know that consuming too much sodium leads to high blood pressure and increases the risk of even serious heart problems. But that is not all: in the study published in Science Direct, the nutritionist who contributed to its drafting states the following.
“Sodium and potassium are vital minerals that they act like charged particles to carry electric current through cells. This electrical current is essential for nerve stimulation, muscle contraction, and fluid regularity.“
Indeed, if Potassium is missing we feel lack of energy, fatigue, muscle pains/cramps and irregular blood pressure.
What did the researchers find?
To confirm the above theories, the team of experts analyzed 4,000 subjects, all aged 50 and older. Observing the diet and in particular the intake of sodium and potassium for 3 days.
To understand the cognitive health of the participantsthey subjected them to gods test direct response that allowed for calculate the state of well-being of memory and mental reasoning.
In conclusion, the researchers noted that “higher potassium intake was associated with a positive impact on cognitive function. But higher sodium intake has been associated with negative effects on cognitive function, including memory impairment.”
Of course, as the study authors state, the research was very short and further investigations will be needed. We know that both sodium and potassium must be present in the diet and the quantities adjusted according to the individual clinical situation. This discovery, however, gave further confirmation of the fact that a balanced intake of some substances actually changes people’s health for the better.
(the information in this article is for informational purposes only and concerns scientific studies or publications in medical journals. Therefore, they do not replace the consultation of a doctor or specialist, and should not be considered for formulating treatments or diagnoses)
