Combined Salt and Caloric Restrictions: Potential Adverse Outcomes

We hypothesized that caloric restriction (CR) and salt restriction (ResS) would have similar effects on reducing cardiovascular risk markers and that combining CR and ResS would be synergistic in modulating these markers.

To test our hypothesis, rats were randomized into 2 groups: ad libitum liberal salt diet (ad libitum/high-sodium, 1.6% sodium) or ResS diet (ad libitum/ResS, 0.03% sodium). CR was initiated in half of the rats in each group by reducing caloric intake to 60% while maintaining sodium intake constant (CR/high-sodium, 2.7% sodium or CR/ResS, 0.05% sodium) for 4 weeks. CR in rats on a high-sodium diet improved metabolic parameters, renal transforming growth factor-β and collagen-1α1 and increased plasma adiponectin and renal visfatin and NAD⁺ protein levels. Although CR produced some beneficial cardiovascular effects (increased sodium excretion and reduced blood pressure), it also was associated with potentially adverse cardiovascular effects. Adrenal zona glomerulosa cell responsiveness and aldosterone levels and activation were inappropriately increased for the volume state of the rodent. Like CR on HS, CR on a ResS diet also produced relative increased zona glomerulosa responsiveness and an increased blood pressure with no improvement in metabolic parameters.

These results suggest that combining CR and ResS may decrease the beneficial effects of each alone. Furthermore, CR, regardless of dietary salt intake, inappropriately activates aldosterone production. Thus, caution should be used in combining ResS and CR because the combination may lead to increased cardiovascular risk.