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The One Nutrient You Should Be Eating More of for Healthier Skin, According to a Dermatologist
What the Study Found
For this cross-sectional study, researchers at the University of California, San Francisco analyzed data from the urine samples and electronic medical records of more than 215,000 people ages 30 to 70 from the UK Biobank.
The research team measured sodium levels in urine and correlated higher sodium excretion with increased odds of eczema diagnosis, severity and active cases. Each additional gram of sodium excreted over 24 hours was associated with an 11% higher likelihood of eczema diagnosis, 16% higher odds of an active case and an 11% higher likelihood of increased severity.
“Most Americans overeat salt and can safely reduce their intake to recommended levels,” saidKatrina Abuabara, M.D., an associate professor of dermatology at UCSF and corresponding author of the study, in a statement.
Sodium is a widely used nutrient typically consumed through salt that’s added to foods during cooking or processing. Experts recommend limiting your intake to less than 2,300 milligrams daily (about 6 teaspoons of salt). However, the average U.S. adult consumes around 3,600 mg per day. Excessive sodium consumption is linked tohigh blood pressure, heart disease and stroke—and now eczema.
Further analysis of 13,000 U.S. adults in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey revealed that consuming just 1 extra gram of sodium daily—equivalent to about half a teaspoon of table salt—was linked to a 22% higher chance of having an active eczema case.
“Eczema flares can be difficult for patients to cope with, especially when they are unable to anticipate them and don’t have recommendations on what they can do to avoid them,” added Abuabara, who is also an associate adjunct professor of epidemiology at theUC Berkeley School of Public Health.
The study’s findings highlight the importance of reducing sodium intake to manage eczema and boost skin health. Here are some helpful tips to avoideating too much salt:
8 Foods With More Potassium Than a Banana
The Bottom Line
This new study suggests that consuming less salt can improve skin health and significantly lower the risk of eczema flare-ups. Excellent ways to reduce your salt consumption include eating potassium-rich whole foods, limiting processed foods high in sodium, reading nutrition labels and preparing healthy meals at home using lower-sodium alternatives like herbs, spices and citrus juice.
The Top 5 Nutrients for Better Skin Health, According to Experts
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SourcesEatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.University of California San Francisco.Why do 1 in 10 Americans get eczema? Is it too much salt?American College of Allergy Asthma and Immunology.EczemaNational Eczema Association.What is eczema?Chiang BM, Ye M, Chattopadhyay A, et al.Sodium intake and atopic dermatitis.JAMA Dermatol. 2024. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2024.1544NIH News in Health.The salty stuff: salt, blood pressure and your health.
Sources
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.University of California San Francisco.Why do 1 in 10 Americans get eczema? Is it too much salt?American College of Allergy Asthma and Immunology.EczemaNational Eczema Association.What is eczema?Chiang BM, Ye M, Chattopadhyay A, et al.Sodium intake and atopic dermatitis.JAMA Dermatol. 2024. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2024.1544NIH News in Health.The salty stuff: salt, blood pressure and your health.
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
University of California San Francisco.Why do 1 in 10 Americans get eczema? Is it too much salt?American College of Allergy Asthma and Immunology.EczemaNational Eczema Association.What is eczema?Chiang BM, Ye M, Chattopadhyay A, et al.Sodium intake and atopic dermatitis.JAMA Dermatol. 2024. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2024.1544NIH News in Health.The salty stuff: salt, blood pressure and your health.
University of California San Francisco.Why do 1 in 10 Americans get eczema? Is it too much salt?
American College of Allergy Asthma and Immunology.Eczema
National Eczema Association.What is eczema?
Chiang BM, Ye M, Chattopadhyay A, et al.Sodium intake and atopic dermatitis.JAMA Dermatol. 2024. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2024.1544
NIH News in Health.The salty stuff: salt, blood pressure and your health.
