The Salt Dilemma - The Contrasting Impact Of Salt On Blood Pressure In Asians And Caucasians

We all know that salt is bad. Or so they tell us. No, wait? Maybe not. Shelf-life expired?

To get pre-approved in order to purchase salt, see this guy:

With governmental authorities, academicians, healthcare providers and industry grappling with the level of salt in the diet in an effort to reduce its impact on high blood pressure, new data evaluating a potential genetic component to salt-sensitive hypertension will be presented at the American Society of Hypertension, Inc.'s 25th Annual Scientific Meeting and Exposition (ASH 2010).

Essential hypertension is a complex condition caused by the interaction of multiple genetic and environmental factors, including salt intake. Salt-inducible kinase 1 (SIK1), a kinase from the 5' AMP-activated protein kinase family, is part of a cell network involved in controlling active sodium transport during small increases in intracellular sodium.

In this study of 22,416 subjects (20,784 Caucasians; 1,632 Asians), investigators found that a polymorphism in the human SIK1 gene that resulted in a mutation within the SIK1 protein, is associated with variations in blood pressure. The presence of the minor allele of this polymorphism was associated with elevated blood pressure in Asians but was protective in Caucasians.

Genetic testing at your grocery store is just around the corner.

At least some of you will be able to spice-up your foods.

Still think they know what they are talking about?