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"Salt could make your immune system go haywire" Daily Mail UK

ukxmrv

Senior Member
Messages
4,413
Location
London
I wasn't sure which section to post this in. The Daily Mail not being my favourite source for health related information but it mentions Th17 and autoimmune conditions.

"Last year animal studies published in the journal Nature found that salt increased a type of cell in the immune system called type 17 helper T cell (Th17)."

"Researchers believe that salt activates a type of cell involved in autoimmune conditions. These conditions, which have risen in recent years, include type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and Crohn's and ulcerative colitis (which cause inflammation in the gut)"

"Levels of these cells - which trigger inflammation - seem to rise in autoimmune conditions, leading to speculation that they might be involved in triggering the immune system to attack healthy tissue.

The study, which was conducted at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, found that animals fed a high-salt diet for three weeks had a dramatic increase in the number of Th17 cells compared with those fed a normal diet.

Another part of the study showed that animals on a high-salt diet also had more severe symptoms of an autoimmune disorder called autoimmune encephalomyelitis, which is an animal version of multiple sclerosis."


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2800756/salt-make-immune-haywire.html#ixzz3GsLT0AxM
 

Hip

Senior Member
Messages
17,820
That increase in Th17 cells produced by salt may worsen coxsackievirus B infections, since Th17 cells may make coxsackievirus B myocarditis worse. Refs: 1 2 3

Then again, a very high salt intake is a treatment for POTS and neurally mediated hypotension.
 

MeSci

ME/CFS since 1995; activity level 6?
Messages
8,231
Location
Cornwall, UK
I wasn't sure which section to post this in. The Daily Mail not being my favourite source for health related information but it mentions Th17 and autoimmune conditions.

"Last year animal studies published in the journal Nature found that salt increased a type of cell in the immune system called type 17 helper T cell (Th17)."

"Researchers believe that salt activates a type of cell involved in autoimmune conditions. These conditions, which have risen in recent years, include type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and Crohn's and ulcerative colitis (which cause inflammation in the gut)"

"Levels of these cells - which trigger inflammation - seem to rise in autoimmune conditions, leading to speculation that they might be involved in triggering the immune system to attack healthy tissue.

The study, which was conducted at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, found that animals fed a high-salt diet for three weeks had a dramatic increase in the number of Th17 cells compared with those fed a normal diet.

Another part of the study showed that animals on a high-salt diet also had more severe symptoms of an autoimmune disorder called autoimmune encephalomyelitis, which is an animal version of multiple sclerosis."


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2800756/salt-make-immune-haywire.html#ixzz3GsLT0AxM

Animal studies have on average an approx 50% chance of showing the same results as for humans. So you might as well toss a coin. And they don't even say which species were used. Some are less relevant than others.

Some of the things we are claimed to 'know' to be adverse effects of salt are in fact disputed. Human studies almost always rely on sodium levels in urine, which can indicate natriuresis - excessive salt excretion, which can in fact cause deficiency. Sodium deficiency can be very dangerous, as I know from bitter experience.