Salt - Does it work?

There have been a number of studies looking at salt and orthostatic symptoms. They were looking to see what salt affected and whether taking more helped "fix" any of the the things that are not working right when OI is present.

The answer is "yes" - people had fewer symptoms when they stood up after taking more salt and fluids.

Study 1 :
Conclusion: Salt supplementation causes improvement in tolerance to orthostatic stress in people with initially poor orthostatic tolerance. In past studies – salt caused increased carotid baroreceptor sensitivity in the upright position.
Affect on subjects: Everyone in the study had orthostatic intolerance. After the salt supplementation, 8 of 11 had normal test results. They increased the time it took them to get "orthostatic stress symptoms", Before taking salt, their symptoms started in 2 minutes after standing up. After taking 6 grams of salt each day, their symptoms started 12 minutes after standing up. Claydon, 2004³:

Study 2 :
Salt supplementation increases plasma volume and orthostatic tolerance in patients with unexplained syncope. El-Sayed H, Hainsworth R.. 1996⁴.

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Why You Need to Raise the Head of Your Bed - and How Much

 

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References

1. Figueroa JJ, Basford JR, Low PA. Preventing and treating orthostatic hypotension: As easy as A, B, C. Cleve Clin J Med. 2010 May;77(5):298-306. Abstract  Article PDF

2. Freeman, Roy. Neurogenic orthostatic hypotension.NEJM 2008;358(6):615-624. Abstract
3. Claydon VE, Hainsworth R. Salt supplementation improves orthostatic cerebral and peripheral vascular control in patients with syncope. Hypertension. 2004 Apr;43(4):809-13. Epub 2004 Feb 23.
4. El-Sayed H, Hainsworth R. Salt supplementation increases plasma volume and orthostatic tolerance in patients with unexplained syncope. Heart 1996; 75:134–140.
5. Thieben MJ, Sandroni P, Sletten DM, et al. Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome: The Mayo Clinic experience. Mayo Clin Proc. 2007;82:308–313
6. Personal experience of author.
7. Wieling W, van Lieshout JJ, Hainsworth R. Extracellular fluid volume expansion in patients with posturally related syncope. Clin Auton Res 2002;12:242-9.
8. Recommendations on salt. UK. Consensus Action on Salt & Health. Last accessed September 10, 2012.  
9. Rowe, Peter.General Information Brochure on Orthostatic Intolerance and Its Treatment. June 2010. Accessed from http://www.cfids.org/webinar/cfsinfo2010.pdf. Accessed May 28.2012.
10. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. 2011. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 24. Nutrient Data Laboratory Home Page ,http://www.ars.usda.gov/ba/bhnrc/ndl  
11. Low PA and Singer W. Update on Management of Neurogenic Orthostatic Hypotension. Lancet Neurol. 2008 May; 7(5): 451–458. Abstract. Article PDF.
12. Low PA, Sandroni P, Joyner and Shen W. Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). J Cardopvasc Electrophysiology 2009; 20:352-358.  Abstract.  Article PDF
13. Jacob G, Costa F, Shannon JR, Robertson RM et al. The Neuropathic Postural Tachycardia Syndrome. N Engl J Med 2000;343: 1008-14.   Abstract.   Article PDF.
14. Fu Q, Vangundy TB, Galbreath MM, Shibata S, Jain M, Hastings JL, Bhella PS, Levine BD. Cardiac origins of the postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2010 Jun 22;55(25):2858-68. Abstract. Article PDF
15. "Iodine in diet". MedlinePlus. External Link. Last accessed 09.13.2012
16. Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Iodine. Office of Dietary Supplements. National Institutes of Health. External Link. Last accessed 09.13.2012.
17. Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium, and Zinc. National Academy Press: Washington DC, 2001. 2001. External Link

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