🧂 salt deficiency mimics insulin resistance

Acute salt deficiency disrupts water balance, hormonal signaling, and glucose uptake, mimicking insulin resistance within days

Mechanisms at Play

• Reduced extracellular sodium impairs cellular hydration, affecting insulin receptor function and glucose transport.
• Low sodium triggers renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) activation, raising stress hormones like cortisol and angiotensin II, which are known to induce insulin resistance.
• Intracellular dehydration from poor sodium gradients can impair GLUT-4 translocation, the key channel for glucose uptake into muscle and fat cells.

Real-world consequence

• Within 72 hours of salt restriction, healthy individuals show elevated fasting insulin, reduced glucose clearance, and blunted insulin signaling—hallmarks of insulin resistance.