EATING too much salt could increase your risk of developing agonizing eczema, scientists say.
In fact, consuming just one extra gram per day—the amount of sodium found in a Big Mac—can increase your risk of skin flare-ups by 22 percent.
Eczema, also known as dermatitis, is a condition that causes unbearable itching that can become red, cracked and painful.
Around one in 10 adults in the UK – and one in five children – have its most common form, called atopic eczema, according to the National Eczema Society.
A number of things can trigger the skin condition, including allergies, clothing and cold weather.
Now, researchers at UC San Francisco (UCSF) say your diet may also have something to do with it, particularly the levels of sodium you consume.
Sodium, which most people consume in the form of salt, increases the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease.
Research from Tulane University has also linked high-sodium diets to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
However, scientists have recently discovered that sodium is stored in the skin, where it may play a role in the inflammation typical of eczema.
UCSF scientists have suggested that limiting the amount of sodium you eat may be one way to manage your skin condition.
Katrina Abuabara, associate professor of dermatology at UCSF and study author, said: “Most Americans eat a lot of salt and can safely reduce their intake to recommended levels.
“Eczema flare-ups can be difficult for patients to deal with,” said Dr. Abuabara, also an associate adjunct professor of epidemiology at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health.
“Especially when they are unable to anticipate them and have no recommendations for what they can do to prevent them.”
Researchers analyzed data from more than 215,000 people aged 30 to 70 from the UK Biobank, which includes urine samples and electronic medical records.
They were able to tell how much sodium each person was taking in from their urine samples, and they were able to see whether people had a diagnosis of atopic dermatitis – and how severe it was – from prescription codes.
The team found that each additional gram of sodium excreted in urine over 24 hours was associated with an 11% greater likelihood of an eczema diagnosis and a 16% greater risk of having an active case.
WHAT IS ECZEMA?
Eczema is a condition that causes the skin to become itchy, red, dry and cracked.
Atopic eczema (the most common form of the disease) is most common in children, often developing before their first birthday.
However, it can also develop for the first time in adults.
It is usually a long-term condition, although it can improve significantly, or even disappear completely, in some children as they age.
The exact cause of eczema is not known.
Symptoms:
Some people only have small patches of dry skin, but others may have widespread red, inflamed skin all over their body.
It can affect any part of the body, but most commonly affects the hands, inner elbows, back of the knees, face, and scalp in children.
Treatment:
There are many different treatments to help manage eczema, including:
- self-care techniques, such as reducing scratching and avoiding triggers
- moisturizing treatments used daily
- topical corticosteroids to reduce swelling, redness, and itching during flare-ups
The more salt people consume, the greater their risk of severe eczema, with each gram of salt associated with an 11% greater chance of increased severity.
Researchers also looked at 13,000 U.S. adults in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
They found that eating just one additional gram of sodium per day – about half a teaspoon of table salt – was associated with a 22% risk of having an active case of eczema.
The study was published in JAMA Dermatology.
How much salt should I eat daily?
The NHS sets out guidelines on the maximum amount of salt you should consume daily, depending on your age.
- Less than a year: less than 1g
- One to three years: no more than 2g
- Four to six years: no more than 3g
- Seven to 10 years: no more than 5g
- 11 years and over: no more than 6g
Six grams is about a teaspoon of salt – not much.
But it can be tricky to measure how much you consume throughout the day, as many foods and condiments are saltier than you would expect.
Around three-quarters of the salt we eat comes from packaged foods that are the basis of our daily diet, such as bread, breakfast cereals, meat products and ready meals, says the NHS.
And it’s practically impossible to know how much salt is contained in takeout food, restaurant meals or fast food.
Sauces can also be high in salt, such as soy sauce, sauce granules, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, and brown sauce.
Some surprising foods you may not know are high in salt include:
- Cheese
- Breakfast cereals
- Canned soups
- Breads, sweets and pizzas
- Biscuits, biscuits and cakes
- Processed meats – sausages, bacon and ham
Soluble tablets, such as pain relievers, vitamins, or prescription medications, may also be high in salt.
The British Heart Foundation advises that you look at food labels in the nutrition facts section, which show the amount of salt in each product.
To see how much salt is in packaged foods, you can look at the ‘amount per serving’.
Some food labels have a traffic light system to help you see if the food contains a low, medium or high amount of salt.
Try reducing the amount of foods you eat with medium (amber) and high (red) levels of salt.
You can also try using a sodium calculator to get an idea of how much salt you eat per day.
Nutritionist Sonia Pombo, from Action on Salt, previously revealed hidden “salt traps” that are increasing the sodium content of your meals.
They include mustard – which contains 0.42g per serving – sun-dried tomatoes which have an impressive 1.35g per serving and Linda McCartney vegetarian sausages, which come in at 1.24g per serving.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
