What happens to salt and blood pressure when you eat more carbs?
High-carbohydrate diet: antinatriuretic and blood pressure response in normal men.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Sodium retention from high carbs doesn’t lead to higher blood pressure
Common wisdom links sodium retention to increased blood pressure, but this study shows that even with temporary salt retention, blood pressure stayed stable in healthy men.
Practical Takeaways
Don’t panic if you feel bloated after a high-carb meal—it may be temporary sodium retention, not fat gain.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Sodium retention from high carbs doesn’t lead to higher blood pressure
Common wisdom links sodium retention to increased blood pressure, but this study shows that even with temporary salt retention, blood pressure stayed stable in healthy men.
Practical Takeaways
Don’t panic if you feel bloated after a high-carb meal—it may be temporary sodium retention, not fat gain.
Publication
Journal
The American journal of clinical nutrition
Year
1986
Authors
H. Affarah, W. Hall, S. Heymsfield, M. Kutner, J. Wells, E. Tuttle
Related Content
Claims (4)
Eating a lot of carbs might make your body hold onto more salt, which could raise your blood pressure.
When healthy guys eat more carbs for a few days, their bodies hold onto more salt at first, but this doesn’t last past the first week.
When healthy guys eat a diet high in carbs for a couple of weeks, their bodies initially hold onto more salt—but by week two, a key hormone that controls salt goes down, which might help stop blood pressure from rising.
Eating a lot of carbs for two weeks doesn’t raise blood pressure in healthy guys, even though it changes how their bodies handle salt.