Salt's ability to fight viruses depends on how chloride moves inside cells, not sodium. When chloride movement is blocked, salt can't stop viruses, but blocking sodium movement doesn't change salt's virus-fighting power.

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Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

5

Community contributions welcome

5

Antiviral innate immune response in non-myeloid cells is augmented by chloride ions via an increase in intracellular hypochlorous acid levels

Cross-Sectional Study

In Vitro

2018 Sep 11

The study shows that salt's antiviral effect relies on chloride ions moving into cells, not sodium ions, because blocking chloride channels stops the effect but blocking sodium channels doesn't—just like the claim says.

Contradicting (0)

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No contradicting evidence found

Gold Standard Evidence Needed

According to GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this specific claim, ordered from strongest to weakest evidence.

Source Study

Antiviral innate immune response in non-myeloid cells is augmented by chloride ions via an increase in intracellular hypochlorous acid levels

Score: 5

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-31936-y

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