Effect of Salt Supplementation on Sympathetic Activity and Endothelial Function in Salt-Sensitive Type 2 Diabetes

Abstract

CONTEXT: Lower sodium intake is paradoxically associated with higher mortality in type 2 diabetes (T2D). OBJECTIVE: To determine whether sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activation and endothelial dysfunction contribute to these observations, we examined the effect of salt supplementation on these systems in people with T2D with habitual low sodium. We hypothesized that salt supplementation would lower SNS activity and improve endothelial function compared to placebo. DESIGN: We conducted a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled crossover trial. SETTING: The study took place in a tertiary referral diabetes outpatient clinic. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-two people with T2D with habitual low ..