Regularly adding salt to food may be more harmful to mental health than previously thought.
A new study has found that people who frequently add salt to their dishes are nearly 40% more likely to develop depression and anxiety, compared to those who use it rarely or not at all.
What does the study show?
The study, conducted by Xinjiang Medical University in China, analyzed data from 439,412 British adults and was published in the Journal of Affective Disorders. Among the participants, 9,516 were diagnosed with depression and 11,796 with anxiety.
For those who added salt randomly, the risk of depression and anxiety was lower, but still present – 5 to 8% higher than in those who did not add salt at all.
Why does salt affect mental health?
Researchers propose several possible reasons:
Salt accelerates biological aging, making the brain more susceptible to mental disorders.
It negatively affects mood hormones, such as serotonin and dopamine, which are essential for emotional well-being.
This is the first study to reveal such a direct and significant link between added salt and an increased risk of mental health problems.
The main message?
If you have a habit of adding extra salt to your food – even before you taste it – it might be worth thinking twice. Not just for your physical health, but for your mental health as well. Reducing your salt intake can be a small step, but one that can have a big impact on your well-being. /Express newspaper/
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