Send Us Feedback

Health NewsHealth News

News Video
Find, view and share videos about news and entertainment from around the Web.
See Videos »

News Alerts

The latest updates sent straight to your inbox.

Get AOL News Alerts »

Salt May Be a Natural Antidepressant

AOL
posted: 226 DAYS 15 HOURS AGO
comments: 28
filed under:
Text SizeAAA
(March 11) - Does demolishing a salty bag of potato chips seem to put you in a better mood? If so, you're not alone, according to psychologists at the University of Iowa who say salt may be nature's anti-depressant.
Researchers based the conclusion on studies on rats. They found that rats that were deficient in sodium chloride avoided activities they normally enjoyed, like drinking a sugary substance or pressing a bar that stimulates a pleasant sensation in their brains.
Skip over this content
Skip over this content


"Things that normally would be pleasurable for rats didn't elicit the same degree of relish, which leads us to believe that a salt deficit and the craving associated with it can induce one of the key symptoms associated with depression," said University of Iowa psychologist Kim Johnson.
The study cannot definitively conclude that the salt-deficient rats are suffering from depression, but the lack of interest in normally pleasurable activities is a key sign of the condition.
The notion of salt as a natural mood-elevating substance could help explain why people are so drawn to it, despite its known risks for high blood pressure, heart disease and other health problems, researchers said.
Past research has shown that most people consume way too much salt. The worldwide average for salt intake per individual is about 10 grams per day, which is greater than the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommended intake by about 4 grams, and may exceed what the body actually needs by more than 8 grams.
Johnson said the human body has "a taste system" designed to detect salt, while the brain remembers the location of salt sources. A pleasure mechanism in the brain is activated when salt is consumed.
"This suggests that salt need and cravings may be linked to the same brain pathways as those related to drug addiction and abuse," Johnson said.
Johnson's findings will be published in the July issue of Physiology & Behavior.
Skip over this content
2009 AOL LLC. All Rights Reserved.
2009-03-11 12:49:14

Related Articles

  1. See More Related Articles and Blog Posts
GOOD READ?
40 votes


(28)
Sort by:

1 - 10

MixedFriends1988

10:16 PMMar 13 2009

(^_^)(^_^)(^_^) May every Jack has his Jill. Still Don't have a date?Check out________Mixed Friends. C o m___________There are Over millions of profiles from all over the world!You can get their pictures, phone numbers, locations, and almost any information.Everything is FREE! Don't forget to tell your friends! (^_^)(^_^)(^_^)

AVG RATING:
(0)

KHOD3

02:56 PMMar 12 2009

Cigarettes help with depression too. Pot is even better and the largest cash crop in the USA so let's legalize it and take the profit motive away from the Mexicans tax the heck out of it and cut out borrowing from the Chinese Communists! Plus not owing them would help with the nation's depression and everyone growing weed would be healthy outdoor activity getting beneficial rays from the sun! Sunlight helps with depression too. Firing all the corrupt graft sucking "politicians" would make everyone a lot happier! Firing all the 34,000 "lobbyists" paying them off with millions every damn year would save us quite a bit too! Freedom! End the police state, live and let live, and restore the US constitution. God Bless America-the real America!

AVG RATING:
(2)

Readingman1956

02:40 PMMar 12 2009

Salt leads you to do things that are pleasurable? I am going to do an idependent experiment. I am going to secretly salt my wifes food and see if I start getting sex more often.

AVG RATING:
(2)

Vgraybeard

05:48 AMMar 12 2009

"known risk"? Yesterday's? Last week's? Last year's? Wait a week or two and it will be good for you. Eggs; coffee; tea; beer and wine are all (now) good for you.

AVG RATING:
(1)

Rdobrick

02:23 AMMar 12 2009

In "Annie Hall" Woody Allen said, "Sun is bad for you. Everything our parents said was good is bad. Sun, milk, red meat... college."Ain't it the truth.

AVG RATING:
(2)

ThisMustBeMe

02:11 AMMar 12 2009

Just eat Baked Lays ruffles....the best of both worlds!!!!

AVG RATING:
(2)

Sgrdg179

01:54 AMMar 12 2009

Potato Chips: POTATOES, SALT, and LARD.All we need yet is proof that LARD is good for you.Then chips can be health food.Eat um up yum yum.

AVG RATING:
(2)

Acurrent1

01:29 AMMar 12 2009

This is getting to be like Animal Farm! What's bad is good, what's good is bad. Just eat what you want, in moderation, get some exercise and DON"T WORRY!

AVG RATING:
(7)

Turnofur

01:26 AMMar 12 2009

the old ways are the best...i go by what i was given as a child...works for me still today.

AVG RATING:
(8)

Fsadsis

01:17 AMMar 12 2009

You see? And then they wonder why people don't take health warnings seriously. This sort of contradiction on health issues happens all the time.

AVG RATING:
(5)

1 - 10 of 28

{ JOIN the CONVERSATION }

YOU'LL BE ASKED TO REGISTER OR LOGIN BEFORE POSTING A COMMENT.




Does demolishing a salty bag of potato chips seem to put you in a better mood? If so, you\'re not alone, according to psychologists at the University of Iowa who say salt may be nature\'s anti-depressant.