Diet low in salt will not ease asthma

Eating a diet low in salt apparently will not help people with asthma to control their condition, according to a recent study.
A research team at the University of Nottingham found that, despite previous reports, eating a diet low in salt or free of salt may not alleviate asthma symptoms. 200 study participants were given either a sodium supplement or a placebo.
Dr. Zara Pogson who was involved in the study reportedly commented: “Despite the clear benefit of a low-sodium diet on cardio-vascular risk factors, there is no therapeutic benefit in the use of a low-sodium diet on asthma control in our study population.”
She also reportedly continued: “We were disappointed that a simple measure, such as a decrease in sodium intake, does not result in improvements in asthma control. We therefore cannot advise people with asthma to alter their sodium intake to improve control of their asthma, despite the fact that a low-sodium diet improves cardio-vascular risk factors. This study suggests that further dietary research in asthma should be directed to factors other than sodium.”