Salt is bad for health, but can lift our mood

NATURAL ANTI-DEPRESSANT

Washington: Salt may be "nature's anti-depressant" that helps put humans in a better mood, a study has suggested.
    According to the study at the University of Iowa, the idea that salt is a natural mood-elevating substance could help explain why people are so tempted to over-ingest it, even though it's known to contribute to health problems, including high blood pressure and heart disease. A potential reason pinpointed was that it might put us in a better mood.
    Researchers, led by Kim Johnson in the United States, found that when rats are deficient in sodium chloride, common table salt, they shy away from activities they normally enjoy, like drinking a sugary substance or pressing a bar that stimulates a pleasant sensation in their brains. "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 Johnson, who published a review of these findings in the July issue of the journal Physiology & Behaviour.
    A pleasure mechanism in the brain is activated when salt is consumed. The researchers found similar changes in brain activity whether rats are exposed to drugs or salt deficiency, the Science Daily reported.
    "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.
    One sign of addiction is using a substance even when it is known to be harmful — and even though people know they should cut their salt intake, they like the taste and find low-salt foods bland so continue to eat it. Another strong aspect of addiction is the development of cravings if something is withheld. PTI