How much salt do you eat in a day? Are you the type that coats every meal with a heavy shake of salt, or do you eat a lot of processed foods with high sodium counts? A new study shows too much salt can weaken your bones.

The discovery

Medical researchers at the University of Alberta believe a molecule in the body controls both our sodium levels and our calcium levels.

“When the body tries to get rid of sodium via the urine, our findings suggest the body also gets rid of calcium at the same time,” says Alexander, a Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry researcher whose findings were recently published in the peer-reviewed journal American Journal of Physiology – Renal Physiology.

“This is significant because we are eating more and more sodium in our diets, which means our bodies are getting rid of more and more calcium. Our findings reinforce why it is important to have a low-sodium diet and why it is important to have lower sodium levels in processed foods.”

The connection

The study strongly suggests calcium levels and sodium levels are connected. Researchers hope this study will add to the mounting importance of a healthy diet.

The takeaway message: ease up on salt.

The applause

Health organizations, like The Kidney Foundation are applauding this new discovery.

“We are proud to support the research of Dr. Todd Alexander,” said Wim Wolfs, National Director of Research of The Kidney Foundation of Canada. “Data in the United States shows that nearly 10% of adults will have a kidney stone at least once in their life. The prevalence of kidney stones also seems to be increasing in the U.S., which may be attributed to high rates of obesity and diabetes, along with possibly increased salt intake.”