Could Salt be a Natural Antidepressant?

Could those cravings for something salty be your body’s way of seeking a natural mood boost? A recent study suggests it could, however a healthy sprinkle of caution should go along with the findings.

By: Casie Terry, Nutritionist

For years health officials have been advocating that individuals reduce salt in their diets due to its relationship with high blood pressure and heart disease. However, a recent study, conducted at the University of Iowa, indicates that a deficiency in sodium chloride (table salt) might lead to symptoms resembling depression.

This study left many people rejoicing at the idea that salt might actually be good for them, but don’t reach for the saltshaker just yet- the conclusions of this study may have been misinterpreted.

The study, first published in Physiology and Behavior, found that when rats were deficient in salt, they became more isolated and refused activities that they usually found fun and pleasurable. Researcher Alan Kim Johnson explained that “things that normally would be pleasurable for rats didn't elicit the same degree of relish, which leads us to believe that a salt deficit and the craving associated with it can induce one of the key symptoms associated with depression.” While researchers can’t claim that the rats entered into an actual state of depression, which is characterized by a variety of factors, abnormal behavior and opting out of fun activities are said to be key indications of the psychological condition.

Or could it be behavior more closely related to withdraw from a drug addiction? Salt being the addictive drug.

There’s no denying that sodium is a mineral vital to the proper functioning of the human body. However, the body needs only 1500 mg a day and, according to the American Heart Association, one should consume no more than 2300 mg a day. Yet, many western diets average a daily intake of over 4000 mg!

This excessive intake of sodium over the past couple of decades has led to many compromising health conditions, and yet, hasn’t persuaded many dieters to steer clear of the food additive. Continuing to use a substance while in the know of the dangers associated with it is one indication of a strong addiction.

This resistance to reduce sodium intake has peaked the interest of many health officials and scientists. "This suggests that salt need and cravings may be linked to the same brain pathways as those related to drug addiction and abuse," Johnson said. He continues to say that salt stimulates a pleasure center in the brain, causing one to distinctly remember sources of salt. This led him and his team of researchers to more closely examine the relationship between cravings for salt and possible psychobiological connections. It is believed that the promotion and maintenance of excess dietary sodium must be modulated through a psychological pathway.

If researchers can better understand this relationship, greater efforts can be made to find ways to reduce the natural cravings for dietary sodium.

Johnson believes that “Although there are a number of obstacles to limiting salt ingestion, high sodium intake, like smoking, is a modifiable behavioral risk factor for high blood pressure and many cardiovascular diseases.”

So while a lack of sodium stores in the body may lead to depression like symptoms- these findings don’t offer a free pass to reach for the bag of potato chips. Certainly this study can help us understand why our cravings for salt can sometimes trump our better judgment and offer a mild mood boost, however, Johnson and his team were out to determine whether or not there is a psychobiological affiliation for high sodium intake- not promote it.

If one is experiencing a craving for salt and seeking a mood boost, it’s more likely that those cravings are in response to an addiction to a high sodium diet. The old saying remains: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Written by: Casie Terry, Nutrition Expert for Stop Aging Now

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