Can a Sodium-Heavy Diet Increase Your Risk of Diabetes?

too much salt could increase your risk of diabetes

A little seasoning on your food can go a long way. But, too much salt could increase your risk of diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes accounts for 95% of reported diabetes cases in the U.S. It is a common condition that affects more than 30 million people.

Researchers have new findings that propose that sodium could increase the danger of developing type 2 diabetes and LADA in adults. You normally consume sodium through sodium chloride or salt when you eat.

LADA, also known as latent autoimmune diabetes in adults, is a systematic disease. It is associated with failure in the islet, and not insulin resistance. So, those diagnosed with LADA often do not need insulin treatments. It is usually misdiagnosed as type 2 diabetes and can occur later in life.

According to past research, experts proposed that you may increase your likelihood of progressing type 2 diabetes if you have an excess of salt intake. Researchers explain that eating salt excessively can lead to increased blood pressure and weight gain. Sodium may also impact insulin resistance.

Researchers also theorize that consuming a high-salt diet may hasten autoimmunity and play a part in the disease development of LADA.

Lastly, regarding the amount of sodium consumption, researchers discovered that each gram consumed took you closer to developing type 2 diabetes. As much as one extra gram eaten daily increased your risks. As much as 43% higher. For LADA the risk is worse at 73% higher.

Final Thoughts

Overeating salt could increase your risk of diabetes. So, this is another incentive to reduce your sodium intake in your daily diet. You don’t have to cut out salt altogether, but reducing even one gram daily can help lower your risk of diabetes.

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