In a study that was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, researchers have found that high intake of salt causes damage to the liver in developing and adult embryos.
The researchers included Xuesong Yong from China’s Jinan University and his colleagues. The study demonstrated high exposure of salt in mice, after which chick embryo led to derangement of hepatic cords and liver fibrosis after that.
Researchers stated that bodies needed a small amount of salt in case of health adults. The sodium ions help in regulating the movement of water within the body and also help in conducting nerve impulses.
However, if too much of salt is consumed, it can prove to be dangerous and hence, the researchers went ahead for exploring the potential effect at the cellular level.
Adult mice were given an high-salt diet and chick embryos were exposed to a briny environment. There was an association of excessive sodium to various changes in the liver of the animals including an increase in cell death, the decrease in proliferation of cells and oddly shaped cells. This further contributed to fibrosis being developed.
This pathological mechanism might be owing to the imbalance between the antioxidant system and oxidative stress, explained the researchers. Positively, the researchers also found that if the damaged cells are treated with Vitamin C, the ill effects of excess salt are partially countered.
Earlier, we had already reported about how alcohol causes damage to the liver. We think people must stop consuming foods gradually to save their lives. It is shocking to see how a basic ingredient like salt can also hamper the liver.
