Eating a lot of salt—like most people do today—might raise levels of certain proteins in your blood that are linked to heart and blood vessel damage, compared to eating very little salt like people did long ago.

Eating very little salt might raise levels of certain proteins in your blood that are linked to inflammation and blood pressure control, compared to eating a lot of salt—especially in people with normal blood pressure.

If healthy adults eat the typical high amount of salt found in processed foods, their body shows lower levels of important proteins that help control blood pressure and fight inflammation — compared to eating almost no salt at all.

Eating more salt might increase your chances of heart problems as you get older — one big analysis found people who eat a lot of salt have about a 19% higher risk than those who eat less.

In Iranian adults, eating more salt is linked to a higher chance of heart problems over time — every extra 1,000 mg of sodium a day is tied to a much higher risk, so cutting back on salt might help protect the heart.

If you eat less salt, your blood pressure tends to go down, and you’re less likely to have a stroke, heart problems, or die early.