4 Signs Of Too Much Salt Consumption

1. Frequently urinating

In a 2017 study, Dr. Matsuo Tomohiro from Nagasaki University in Japan found that eating too much salt may be causing excessive urination. Particularly for older adults, this can cause irritability, interrupted sleep, and tiredness.

"Nighttime urination is a real problem for many people, especially as they get older," said Dr. Tomohiro.
Participants of the study decreased their trips to the toilet in the middle of the night after cutting their salt intake by 25 percent.

"This work holds out the possibility that a simple dietary modification might significantly improve the quality of life for many people," Dr. Tomohiro added.

2. Unexplained headaches

Try to observe your salt intake if you are having headaches every now and then.

"Too much salt can cause blood vessels in the brain to expand, which can lead to painful headaches," explained Mandy Enright, a nutritionist and fitness trainer in New Jersey.

3. Feeling bloated or swollen

Too much sodium consumption may give you an overweight impression due to the retention of fluid in the tissues of the body. This fluid retention effect causes bloating or can explain why your eyes or your fingers have become puffy. Such signs are also more likely to occur during middle age.

"Salt acts like a magnet to water, causing you to retain fluids," said registered dietitian Bonnie Taub-Dix, founder of Better Than Dieting.

4. Your food tastes bland

Going overboard with your consumption of salt can affect your taste buds. You may get used to the flavor and taste of meals with high salt content, causing foods with normal salt content to taste bland.

"We do develop a taste preference for salt," said Gazzaniga Moloo, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. "It does have some properties that can make foods taste better. It can help neutralize foods' natural bitterness. That's oftentimes why sprinkling a little salt on vegetables for some people makes them taste better."