Salt and Cardiometabolic Health with Dr. Ben Bikman

[@gins8781]

I saw a registered Dietician last week. I was curious what advice I might get about lowering inflammation. She admitted that she had to look up my medical issue (IPF) because she had never heard of it. Her only advice about inflammation was to reduce sodium intake. She also repeated the “low fat” trope so prevalent in healthcare. To her credit she did recommend limiting carbohydrates when I brought up my weight loss goal. This interaction reinforced my belief that we really need to take responsibility for educating ourselves about our bodies. I am very grateful for the internet. I was SO ignorant before having that tool.

[@juliavanschalkwyk9321]

Where are these drs come from, it is not as if they really choose not to know. Are they trained idiots😮

[@HML-it7te]

I was going down the path of Bariatric surgery (which I did not go ahead with-thank God as that was the right decision for me), called roux-en-Y, I saw a dietician. She was hopeless and could only read from the script, was not knowledgeable at all. After this disappointment I decided to research like crazy and after 200 hours plus I decided to do 3 months strict Lion diet (meat only carnivore) and only decide a different course at the 3 month mark. After 6 weeks I was off ALL MEDS! Including weaned off antidepressants for the first time in 11 years. All Metabolic issues were reversed (see photo). That was roughly 9 months after starting and at that time I reduced my weight (secondary consideration) from 154kg to 102kg. Now at 11 months I’m 93kg (6ft, 53 yo male). Thanks to chronic back pain exercise is very difficult, stressful and tiring. In 2011 I fell 8.5m off a ladder was a linesman at the time and had many broken bones to say the least. Life is getting better every day though. Mentally I have regained much resilience. My medical journey has been long. Just wish I could be rid of this lower back pain.

[@gins8781]

@@HML-it7te Your progress is impressive! Keep it up…my back pain from a horse riding accident years ago has improved a lot. It isn’t gone, but it is better.

[@HML-it7te]

@@gins8781 thank you. The pain is very difficult to deal with but I’m going to try movement therapy. Training correct body movements. Dr David Johnson has a KZbin channel and you can see in some of the exercises they do, all ages and abilities participate. My fused elbow will make some of these impossible, however I’ll be able to do the others. We’re moving nearby within 6 months and I’m seeing Dr in August (he’s very popular in Brisbane Australia). I’m hoping this might help get the “Multifitus” (lumber spine muscles) going/strengthening again. Search Functional Movement training centre. From my research this is a different approach that few Drs understand. I’ve been searching since 2011 for a solution. After 120 Physio sessions these did not give progress, so I’m hoping this could help. Not medical advice obviously, but perhaps it could help you, doing the exercises you see in the videos at home. I hope you get some relief somehow, I know how hard it is.

[@mpoharper]

Dieticians for cancer patients are often the worst. Eat lots of carbs and low fat Protein. No salt.

[@hans-joachimschmid3783]

Dear Ben, even being a MD and being practicing as a GP mostly in Germany for almost 40 years yet there is still so much new to learn. I appreciate your excellent teaching about metabolism. Thanks a lot!

[@mauriglisson6954]

And I appreciate you taking the time to learn these new things. It means a lot!

[@mds1325]

After viewing this episode I am now convinced there will never be a single Dr. B episode that outdoes all of his other work. Because they ALL outdo each other. In 40 years in pharma and bio, I have never seen a more lucid and clarifying video than this one. It is my hall of fame Dr. B video.

[@cormchm2853]

You just contradicted yourself, as by your own logic, every new video Ben make is better than ALL of his other videos. LOL.

[@MrLuba6a]

I can't believe it:I am 72 years old dude,watching Professor Bikman's video and I am just speechless 🙊 How on Earth he grab my attention so effectively,when I hardly can see a video,longer than 10 minutes?Admirations,Professor Ben Bikman ❤ 👍 and blessings 🙏

[@dianelakata1308]

I have taken many pharmacology courses/conferences but have never had this physiology explained so clearly.

[@dx398]

😊😊

[@EatBeefBeHealthy]

I would have loved to have you, Dr Bikman, 40 years ago, as one of my professors.. Love your teachings.

[@Good2AT]

Watching this video while eating 2 hard boiled eggs with Redmond’s salt, YUMMY! Thanks Dr. Ben!

[@douglashenson4793]

WHAT I GET: High carbs = high insulin. High insulin = sodium retention (direct action of insulin at the kidneys / 15:50). Sodium retention = fluid retention = high blood pressure. Doctor orders low sodium diet to reduce blood pressure. Restricted sodium diet = low sodium = activation of RAAS to retain sodium. Low sodium also activates an increase of insulin (since insulin also drives the kidneys to retain sodium). Activated RAAS increases angiotensin II and aldosterone. Angiotensin II constricts blood vessels. Aldosterone tells the kidneys to retain sodium. At the fat cells, angiotensin II and aldosterone increase the size of fat cells and the number of fat cells. High carb and low sodium BOTH cause an increase of insulin which accelerates the development of insulin resistance / hyperinsulinemia / metabolic syndrome. WHAT I DID NOT GET: How did low sodium cause an increase in insulin? The sympathetic nervous system was mentioned but I do not know. Could it be that aldosterone increasing the size of the fat cells is the part that accelerates the development of metabolic syndrome? That is something Dr. Bikman has discussed before. SUMMARY: If you are going to eat high carb, you are going to have to restrict your sodium, and you are going to be on the expressway to metabolic syndrome and chronic disease.

[@jacquietarr7280]

Thank you. Great summary

[@sherriballard4781]

Exactly what I have been researching. They say high blood pressure ruins the kidneys, correct but why was the blood pressure high...too much sugar/carbs/insulin...which ruined the kidneys in the first place. They want to lower the BP and ignore the kidneys, dialysis makes them rich. BP meds kill the kidneys. Thank you for your summary! Exactly where my husband is now! BP meds which we hate will soon be gone. We need time to reverse his stage 4 CKD to a 3 or 2 then his BP will come down and he can get off his drugs. We're starting Keto/Carnivore tomorrow. He cant lose anymore weight. Took a week for his statin side effects to go away after 3 weeks on them without permission. He was in the hospital/ rehab for 3 weeks. Sugar and carbs every meal...grrr. He's been craving sugar for a month. In March we did IF, low carb and no sugar except fruit. His brain and muscles need fat protein and cholesterol it get him better!

[@douglashenson4793]

@@sherriballard4781 Sherri, I am writing something to possibly spark a persons interest in learning Carnivore. It is a work in progress. I have spent a lot of time on KZbin learning what I think I now know. Most people do not have that time. Here are a few things about evolution and salt. Please comment, I need some feedback. I have written many of these little nuggets. Much of what I have written is not something I have read or heard, but pieced together by many things I have learned. This may not all be 100% correct but in my opinion close enough. Take it for what you will. EVOLUTION I: Does evolution from the past have anything to do with what we should be eating today for optimum health; optimum physical performance; optimum mental performance. OF COURSE IT DOES! The diet WITH WHICH a species evolved and TO WHICH a species evolved is that specie’s proper diet forever. Is there any doubt that we primarily ate animals. We ate fatty red meat and we ate fish. If we ate carbs, then there was no meat. If we ate carbs, our body knew there was something wrong with the availability of meat. It we ate carbs, our body knew we may be facing famine. If we ate carbs, our body stored fat. We did not have to think it. Our hormones made the choice for us. In this case, the hormone insulin. When we ate fatty red meat, we did not store fat. We needed to be lean and strong to hunt animals. It is the same today. When we eat an animal based diet, we do not store fat. When we eat a plant based diet, we store fat. When we ate fatty meat, our body was optimizing our abilities; optimizing our hormones; optimizing our ability to procreate. When we ate carbs, our body shifted from optimizing our mind and body, to optimizing our chance of surviving a famine. In the past, we primarily ate the food that kept us in the optimization mode. Today, we primarily eat the food that places our body in the suboptimal mode, focused on surviving famine. That is not good! EVOLUTION IV: Dr. Bikman says that elevated insulin has a direct action on the kidneys to retain salt. Insulin is elevated when eating plant based. Early humans may have only eaten plant based when there was no meat available. Salt is an essential mineral. Animal meat has salt. Plants do not. So our body evolved to retain sodium when eating plant based. You don’t want to urinate your salt away when you may not replenish it due to famine. This also demonstrates how smart our bodies are, not just our brains but our hormones. SALT II: When you are eating carbs, your insulin eventually remains elevated all the time. Chronically elevated insulin causes your kidneys to retain sodium all the time. In Keto / Carnivore, your insulin is not elevated; your kidneys are not ordered to retain sodium all the time; the normal system (one of the normal systems) for controlling your blood pressure is restored. High blood pressure tells the kidneys to excrete sodium. Low blood pressure tells the kidneys to retain sodium. Salt is excreted or retained as needed to maintain normal blood pressure; no medicine required. Sherri, I was 20.5 years Navy, 8.5 years telephone man, 12 years Registered Nurse. All that multitasking as a nurse was very stressful for me. I worked nights. I snacked tremendously and set many records. My blood pressure ran 140's / 90's. My heart sometimes had PVC's (bad beats). Then I retired and set about getting my health back. I think I first became interested in Carnivore when I saw an interview with K. Hogan. The title was about a woman eating only meat for 13 years. I am sure your husband will regain control of his blood pressure if he stays the course. You should absolutely have a blood pressure cuff and use it at home... and not the wrist cuff! Use the cuff that goes around the upper arm. The wrist cuff is too inaccurate. Right now your husband may be motivated to get off the meds. But once off the meds he may be less motivated. Understanding why Carnivore works may help him then continue on the course. My blood pressure is 130's / 80's. I am satisfied with that but expect it will continue to improve. It took me a while to stop drinking beer and sometimes eating ice cream. Take care.

[@douglashenson4793]

@@sherriballard4781 This may not all be 100% correct. Take it for what you will. Hope this helps your husband. Does evolution from the past have anything to do with what we should be eating today for optimum health, physical performance, and mental performance. OF COURSE IT DOES! The diet with and to which a species evolved is that specie’s proper diet forever. We ate fatty red meat and we ate fish. If we ate carbs, then there was no meat. Our body knew there was something wrong with the availability of meat; we may be facing famine; so our body stored fat. The hormone insulin made this choice for us. When we ate fatty red meat, we did not store fat. We needed to be lean and strong to hunt animals. When we eat an animal based diet, we do not store fat. When we eat a plant based diet, we store fat. When we ate fatty meat, our body was optimizing our physical, mental, and offspring producing abilities. When we ate carbs, our body shifted from optimizing our mind and body, to surviving famine. In the past, we primarily ate the food that kept us in the optimization mode. Today, we primarily eat the food that places our body in the suboptimal mode, focused on surviving famine. XXX Elevated insulin has a direct action on the kidneys to retain salt. Insulin is elevated when eating plant based. Early humans may have only eaten plant based when there was no meat available. Salt is an essential mineral. Animal meat has salt. Plants do not. So our body evolved to retain sodium when eating plant based. You don’t want to urinate your salt away when you may not replenish it due to famine. XXX As Carnivore, your insulin is not elevated; your kidneys are not ordered to retain sodium all the time; the normal system for controlling your blood pressure is restored. High blood pressure tells the kidneys to excrete sodium. Low blood pressure tells the kidneys to retain sodium. XXX You should have and use a blood pressure cuff at home. Take care.

[@douglashenson4793]

@@sherriballard4781 This may not all be 100% correct. Take it for what you will. Hope this helps your husband. XXX Does evolution from the past have anything to do with what we should be eating today for optimum health, physical performance, and mental performance. OF COURSE IT DOES! The diet with and to which a species evolved is that specie’s proper diet forever. We ate fatty red meat and we ate fish. If we ate carbs, then there was no meat; our body knew there was something wrong; we may be facing famine; so our body stored fat. The hormone insulin made this choice for us. When we ate fatty red meat, we did not store fat. We needed to be lean and strong to hunt animals. When we eat an animal based diet, we do not store fat. When we eat a plant based diet, we store fat. When we ate fatty meat, our body was optimizing our physical, mental, and offspring producing abilities. When we ate carbs, our body shifted from optimizing our mind and body, to surviving famine. In the past, we primarily ate the food that kept us in the optimization mode. Today, we primarily eat the food that places our body in the suboptimal mode, focused on surviving famine. XXX Elevated insulin has a direct action on the kidneys to retain salt. Insulin is elevated when eating plant based. Early humans may have only eaten plant based when there was no meat available. Salt is an essential mineral. Animal meat has salt. Plants do not. So our body evolved to retain sodium when eating plant based. You don’t want to urinate your salt away when you may not replenish it due to famine. XXX As Carnivore, your insulin is not elevated; your kidneys are not ordered to retain sodium all the time; the normal system for controlling your blood pressure is restored. High blood pressure - the kidneys excrete sodium. Low blood pressure - the kidneys retain sodium. XXX You should have and use a blood pressure cuff at home. Take care.

[@robertkreamer7522]

Ah once again excellent. I had a kidney doctor years ago who obsessed over salt as he said it’s raises blood pressure which then damages the kidney . That was his only focus . Eat lots of carbs that’s good , avoid meats , and ever any concerns about sugar . Sure he knew that excess weight was not good , but only because it increased capillary expulsion which only caused kidney to work harder …. I am not sure how some pass medical school and are still so ignorant about bio chemistry, and basic physics. Trying to follow his advice I gained weight until my wife discovered keto and people like you dispensing the correct information.

[@sue2611]

I would never claim to be sharp minded, but you have taught me a lot. Thank you for empowering me with critical information that I need to improve my health.

[@CarnivoreScott]

I'm going to have to watch this a few times to get any grasp on the details. However, the big picture is clear as always. I suspect what Dr. Bikman presented explains the big water dump we go through when we lower our carb intake, or in my case cease the ingestion of carbs. The insulin has dropped and the pathways which were activated are now fading. How absolutely amazing the body is. Thank you Dr. Bikman!!!

[@scoobydadog246]

Well, the marketers will be delighted that you will get a few more repetitions of product promotion - products you wouldn't need if you were using real sea salt. from the sea .. not 'ancient seas' purportedly a millenium or more ago :) That is called marketing. ;)

[@beardumaw24]

@scoobydadog, redmans real salt is from an ancient sea bed and is one of the best salts you can get with some of the least contamination of all salts. Please don't comment on things you obviously don't understand!

[@suprememasteroftheuniverse]

"bear", stop shilling. You're wasting your time.

[@scoobydadog246]

@@beardumaw24 Dr. Mr/Ms Bear.. or Beard.. It's not a controversial concept. "Sea salt" is salt harvested from the sea - i.e. water. Salt that is mined from the earth - is 'earth salt', sediment salt, whatever term one wants to use, and it was all originally from a salt water source, long ago, i.e 'ancient'. Obviously the deposited material will lose the properties of the sea and accumulate properties from the surrounding earth and environment. Hence, some of these salts will have different colors . reddish/pink from iron , etc. Redmonds may be a fine salt depending on what your goals are. I can't say it is one of the 'best salts with the least contamination" b/c I have never seen an independent analysis of many different brands/types of salt that would give data to allow this claim to be made. It may be a fine product, but it is not sea salt. There is a lot of processing involved in mining and then cleaning and purifying. Most people don't care. If you look at the mineral content of sea salt, it is higher in other minerals like magnesium, therefore I don't feel the need for extra electrolytes. The only thing that irritates me about Redmonds is what I think is misleading marketing.

[@mrright1068]

So glad I found your channel. Its much better than hearing that salt is bad. How many people on a "low salt heart healthy diet" ended up with insulin resistance. You are very needed here on KZbin. Thank you!

[@drhanafayyad4347]

Dr Bikman; you are an amazing lecturer, vastly n deeply knowledgeable, v eloquent n u draw attention with ur calm n well- gauged speech rhythm encompassed in a warm voice. I am elated that I came across ur videos n am searching hard so I won’t miss any of your talks!! Thankss❤❤

[@a.w.9662]

Dr. Ben you explain it all so well! Thank you! Now I understand what an ACE inhibitor is. But our bodies our wonderfully made by our Creator. “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.” (Psa 139:14, KJV)

[@joseaguirre5508]

Doctor Bikman, you are the shinning light in a dark tunnel. Thank you very much for sharing your wisdom and educating us!! God Bless You and your family!

[@CoyoteWindRanch]

Well I guess I’ll have to listen to this a few hundred more times to get all that info straight in my mind. Fascinating as always Sir!

[@CarnivoreScott]

I know, Right?

[@BarbaraWuDDS]

Thank you Dr. Bikman for delivering this message so clearly and powerfully. You are an outstanding professor. I learn so much from you each and every time that I listen to you . God Bless you and your family.

[@benbikman]

So nice of you

[@reimaravalk7679]

dear Dr. Ben. we will not get bored at all! you very clearly explain mechanisms in the body which is very important to understanding metabolism. thanks so much for sharing your expertise. Best wishes, Reimara

[@NiceLoki]

1:45 💡 light bulb moment! I had recently reduced my salt intake and stopped losing weight! Interesting.

[@davidnannalockwood3133]

Interesting. I have always maintained that my low blood pressure caused salt craving. And I have always indulged the craving. It just makes sense.

[@ummomarkhan939]

Thank you, am a physician and your lectures are far the best, alhamdullillah

[@irinashelton4343]

Magnificent conference based on analysis and true interest and helps to understand how our body works. Doctors are guided by outdated studies...old books...time for medical school professors to employ people like you who really analyze and research. Infinitely grateful!!!

[@CarnivoreGrace]

That's because big Ag supports medical schools. They can control what is taught with their "donations".

[@KenJackson_US]

Salt is GOOD! Salt is HEALTHY!

[@sheilaabayateye1558]

Thank you. I have fatty liver insulin resistance and 4weeks post gastric bypass surgery. Desperately wanting to turn my health around. So grateful for your information.

[@HML-it7te]

Please see my reply to another comment. I totally reversed decades long (2006-but likely had it for 20 years before that) fatty liver that a functional liver test done by the hospital said I was on the verge of cirrhosis!! Soon after I drastically changed my diet and life rapidly improved in so many areas-type 2, severe mental health, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, ever increasing rapid weight gain after Covid supply forced me off Ozempic (that was the best thing that could happened) and a few other conditions I can’t remember. Dr Anthony Chaffee - he had a YT channel (and others) helped me learn how to reverse my situation.

[@sheilaabayateye1558]

@@HML-it7te wow this is me. Just dont understand why its not taken seriously and treated appropriately here in the UK. This could have been picked up in my 30's with my pcos and blood pressure were first signs. Im now 60. Makes me furious. I thought I was doing a good thing eating cereals and sunflower oil . Cause thats what we told.

[@HML-it7te]

@@sheilaabayateye1558 Totally agree. I feel I’ve been cheated of the best years of my life all for food industry profits. The best we can do is look after ourselves from this point on and spread the word. My family can’t believe my progress. Neither can I sometimes. The whole health industry is asleep at the wheel, no wonder so many folks are sick…it’s so sad. The good news is the word is slowly getting out at a grassroots level to give us another option other than “standard medical care”. I heard Drs only have a couple hours training in nutrition! Crazy:( The problem is not just the industry but the archaic “higher” (university) educational institutions.

[@Steady61]

Always eager to learn and improve my health and life style as type 2 diabetes in remission ( from 109 mmol/mol in Feb last year, down to 39 April this year). Thank you ever so much Dr. Bikman !

[@nurjimenez7401]

❤And I need to add. Since I am more of keto-vore, that explains it why I still get leg cramps every night EXCEPT when I put a pinch of redmond salt on my tongue every night (my routine after brushing my teeth). When I don’t do it and get cramps I keep a small bag with salt by my bedside table, this is the ONLY thing that makes my cramps go away instantaneously!!!

[@lindab4152]

Interesting! A year or so ago I started making my tooth “powder” of 1/3 redmonds, 1/3 baking soda, 1/3 tooth powder, and I wonder if brushing my teeth before bedtime with that has kept leg cramps away. Cheers!

[@robertthompson5501]

Redmond Pre-workout! Only Pre-workout I take is green tea or coffee. Use Redmond salt on food. Got to find their Pre-workout. Thanks 🏋‍♂️

[@mpoharper]

I love the Redmond real salt. My grandson got some when he had Utah as a state for a geography project. People in Utah sent him things from Utah and the salt was only one of them. People were so nice introducing him to cool things in the state!

[@erniewhite1382]

Thanks again Ben for your time and effort freely given 😊

[@cindihunter9119]

Redmond Salt is an amazing company! I adore all of their products, including raised beef, bone broth, and essential electrolytes! As a T1 D, for 60 years now, all of these things matter for our health!

[@scoobydadog246]

Amazing in how they are making a lot of money off of people not knowing better. The best salt is sea salt - which has all the minerals (electrolytes) you need, negating the need to sell you another product - i.e. electrolytes. You can get a good, unprocessed sea salt for the same (or much less) price; and it will be so much better for you!

[@Philusteen]

Okay - just purchased. Thanks Doc - was looking for an LMNT alternative and this looks fantastic. Cheers!

[@cindihunter9119]

@@scoobydadog246 Remember too, that Sea salt actually has microplastics in many of the companies that sell it. I work in the Medical field, and plastic has been found through the imaging process, in the lungs, heart, etc.

[@DonSchmittberger]

Redmond salt is from an ancient sea bed in Utah. It is sea salt. Most sea salts have microplastics in it. Redmond salt doesn't.

[@Tru_G.R.I.T]

​@@scoobydadog246 and microplastcs...no thanks I'll take Redmond's

[@ShannonDukes-tm6he]

Started keto 2-3 years ago, so I've been listening for several years to all the content. DR. Bikmans ability to explain biochemical processes succinctly and with enthusiasm is unmatched. (IMO, Dr. Lustig is on same level). The lecture format is THE best method and I listen while driving, working, hiking etc. But I just realized I dont need you Dr. Bikman. I dont need to understand if my fat cells are multiplying like a rabbit colony or just growing like a delicious watermelon. I dont need to understand the choices made by my Kreb cycle when I eat a donut or a juicy steak. Oh sure, your delivery of the biochemical complexities with that calm voice and subtle mormon humor in mid-afternoon traffic is soothing, but enough is enough. I need to move on and start listening to music again, having normal lay person non- medical conversation with friends and strangers. Also, college football starts in a few weeks. Anyhoo, I already know the one truth from all your content ( the book too, your welcome) that will save me from the "plagues of prosperity," "Keep your insulin low".

[@debjordan4399]

Thank you for your time. This was great.

[@PatriciaCade-l2w]

Thank you once again Dr Bikman, stellar teaching. I have learned so much from you And enjoyed every minute of it !

[@robinbeers6689]

I really love Redmond's seasoning blends and smoked salt line.

[@sheila7814]

Thank you! I started eating healthy last July, saw my sodium drop drastically to almost out of range. I now have to add salt since I don’t eat processed foods. I also noticed that my A1C still went up even though exercising and eating healthy. Now it makes sense that it could be my IR increased because I wasn’t getting enough minerals. I love your channel. I have been digging and digging for details. I think you may have answered my “why” or at least part of it❤!!

[@Dwynfal]

I learnt the hard way the importance of salt and other electrolytes when I ended up being taken to hospital by ambulance because of hyponatremia and hypokaliemia, and to a lesser extent being low on all minerals! I was used to low carb and fasting but I had recently started restricting my carbs even more on OMAD. I didn't have any of the usual symptoms but suddenly got a massive headache and a minute or two later I passed out. I was out for nearly 2 hours during which I had seizures and vomited (thankfully it was just before my mealtime so my stomach was empty). 4 days in hospital and now I have to be super careful to maintain proper electrolyte levels or I will be in trouble again! I'm still committed to low carb and fasting, I love this lifestyle and feel better than I have in decades, but that incident sure was scary. Turns out it was a bit of a freak occurrence due the combination of low carb & fasting , high fluid intake and medication with strong diuretic side effects. In other words unlikely to happen to most people!

[@Dang_Lin-Wang]

Sounds bloody scary! Glad you were okay! What do you do for electrolytes now to stave off cramps etc? Cheers

[@Dwynfal]

@Dang_Lin-Wang It was, especially since I live alone and work independently! My dogs are not very good at calling for an ambulance! 😉 Currently my doctor has switched one of my meds for one without a diuretic effect, I'm cutting down my fluid intake to more reasonable level and I'm taking some electrolytes in tablet form 3 times a day and an almost no carb version in my water. Doc takes blood once a week to see how I'm doing and for now I'm maintaining low-normal values, so we're happy with that. And yes, I do eat a fair bit of salt in my food, but because I drink a lot I lose a lot of it in my urine.

[@Venus_on_fire]

Thank you doctor Bickman. You brushed up my knowledge in physiology and of course taught a lot.

[@KenJackson_US]

I've explained to my non-keto friends why I vigorously shake salt on my food with no worry of health. Since I'm living keto, my insulin is low so my kidneys don't sequester salt so I MUST replenish my salt. (Also, I wake up with leg cramps if I don't get enough salt.)

[@prabhupalanichamy9889]

My blood pressure is mostly 90/60...i am asymptomatic, is it something to worry about

[@scoobydadog246]

Well, I hope you tell them that the real salt that they need is sea salt,, which comes from WATER not from mining of millienia old deposits (purportedly). And I hope you tell them in using such real salt, they don't need any other supplements derived from GMO corn products or possibly soy because the sea salt would contain all the minerals they need - pre, post and during a workout. Sad to see the good doc just another YT supplement pusher.

[@KenJackson_US]

@@scoobydadog246 Isn't salt mostly NaCl?

[@KenJackson_US]

@@prabhupalanichamy9889 Need more salt.

[@carriesilvinaespinozavilla5177]

I too used to have awful leg cramps at night, but now I eat Redmonds salt as much as my body demands. No more night cramps.

[@jeannacav]

wow, Ben thats amazing.I never used to salt my food. I forgot to really. I knew it was important but I didn't know about the growing fat part.

[@thegram9207]

So loads of carbs/sugar and no salt is actually making us obese and sick. That is not really the gospel lately. The medical industrial complex surely must address that , right? No? Thank you . I just found out I have low NaCl from a blood test and I do not lose weight. I will increase my intake. Again , thank you Professor .

[@NiceLoki]

Not really because ultra processed food has lots of sodium in it.

[@chrisgardhouse9321]

Make sure you’re reducing your carbs!

[@thegram9207]

@@NiceLoki you missed the point

[@thegram9207]

@@chrisgardhouse9321 You also missed my point

[@thegram9207]

@@chrisgardhouse9321 You didn’t get it at all.

[@scorecardietdrgee9141]

Amazing explenation dr.Ben....I am in awe of what you have explained...Thank you so much for expanding my knowledge....I have even never learned this connection between fat cell growth and aldosteron in Medical School....Please keep teach us about the amazing science updates dr.Ben

[@78cheerio]

This lecture is great! Thank you. I use Realsalt. It’s tasty with 19 plus trace minerals. It’s tastes just like very delicious salt. I’d never go,back to regular salt. Now I know how it relates to insulin. This is pivotal information.

[@boguniab]

thank you so much prof. Bikman for another fascinating episode!😍🤩

[@Appleblade]

Great talk. I worked next to a physiology professor who one day exclaimed 'You know... it's so easy for the body to excrete excess salt... I just don't understand why salt restriction is advised for hypertension'. He apparently didn't notice the role of insulin and aldosterone. (If I still worked by him... I'd link him ;)

[@claudettebennett7486]

Wonderful teaching , I had both Kidneys removed and hard to regulate B/P. I would get up 4 times at night to empty bladder. Started keto/carnivore, I get up once at night and B/P is down in the morning but up rest of day unless I take a B/P pill. I would like to get off all drugs except maybe anti rejection drugs. Thank you for this teaching.

[@muscleshots]

Run this by your nephrologist!

[@diablominero]

Spironolactone is most often talked about in terms of what it does rather than how, but it blocks aldosterone receptors.

[@nealbrown2978]

Another great session, always looking forward to seeing what you have to teach us all. You always go above and beyond. Thank you so much.

[@idoiam.2351]

Thank you Dr Bikmam, my best professor! ❤

[@canderis1]

Dear Dr Bikman, Once again, this was a most illuminating lecture. Would your team be so kind as to attach the links to the scientific studies that this (and other) lecture was based on, especially the studies that encompass the RAAS-insulin-salt relationship? Many thanks.

[@thandikunene4938]

Thank you so much Dr. Bikman.

[@GoogleAccount-bk4sv]

Dr. Bikman, you are my hero. Thank you again for sharing this knowledge, I'll keep it close. Greetings from the Netherlands 👌🏻

[@CAM-fq8lv]

Thanks from France.

[@cookingketowithlee5001]

Mind Blown! Thank you so much for this very interesting lecture.

[@stuart4858]

Ben, thank you for this wonderful series. Stuart from Melbourne AU

[@mariocovino8250]

Thankyou Ben, you're a brilliant educator. I've been enjoying your youtube content for a few years. You are helping many people around the world with your knowledge and lessons.

[@ninogogoladze6974]

Another fantastic video! Thank you so much Dr. Bikman

[@sagarjournalist7731]

Dear Professor Mr.Ben,U r great Doctor.Love from Pakistan

[@carlor.s.4742]

I always put some Redmond salt in my apple cider vinegar before I break my fast around 11AM. I also add a little to my electrolyte drink which I have first thing on arising.

[@KenJackson_US]

How do *iodine* and *bromine* effect metabolism?

[@nancyarchibald9095]

A great topic! I'd love to hear Dr Bikman do a deep-dive on these two.

[@HML-it7te]

Absolutely brilliant yet again. Wish I knew this when I was 10. I did see on another YT video that the body regulates salt intake, so (not medical advice obviously) I’m more concerned about not getting enough salts and minerals rather than too much. I’ve had cramping at night (I know, usually magnesium), severe at times and continue to have the odd low blood pressure (generally after standing again post squatting-my Dr saying this is normal-I disagree as I never used to get this). It’s better than it was. Love learning as much as I can. I’m very interested in David Feldmans and Nick Norwitz? work. Truely fascinating. The body is an amazing hyper complex biological “machine.

[@johnshellenbach4600]

Doc Ben, After one of your talks, I recognized insulin resistance in a Navy buddy, on bp meds and 2 stents. I offered the keto diet and intermittant fasting to help jump start weight loss. However,… This talk left me deep in the weeds. Please try to dumb it down for us mere mortals.

[@tuanshomes]

Love salt! Put that on everything!

[@ketoman4057]

One that came out of Havard Medical School and I quote "In individuals with compromised insulin signaling, such as insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes, insulin fails to suppress hepatic gluconeogenesis, even in the fed state; hence, an insight into these insulin-moderated pathways is critical for therapeutic purposes." [Maximilian Hatting, Clint D. J. Tavares, Kfir Sharabi, Amy K. Rines, and Pere Puigserver]

[@desaibha]

wonderful as always. beautifully explained, you make it so interesting and easy to understand. thanks for your efforts to educate us.

[@frankangelone7989]

Have been carnivore for years but still struggle with some cramping and palpitations. Fasting insulin has been ranging from 1.7 to 2.3. Is this insulin level too low to signal sodium retention? I have experimented with some fruit and honey with positive results but have no desire to consume carbs. Supplementing with more electrolytes without adding carbs doesn’t seem to work. Any thoughts? BTW, I think your videos are fascinating! Retired paramedic, love this stuff.

[@scoobydadog246]

I would try using sea salt - unrefined, any decent brand. In water - that is how you are meant to get the minerals. Not in a processed powder supplement. Check out Darko Velcek , don’t be turned off if he seems too “out there” in some ways - he knows salt - and he is not selling anything. Our body is constantly excreting sodium and electrolytes, especially when we are getting rid of toxins, so you will always need to replenish, insulin or not. Drinking sea salt water - you are doing this, & won’t need honey & fruit. Good luck!

[@WisdomStreetAU]

When I had my fasting insulin blood test done recently the range 2-12 mU/L was 'normal'. I am in Australia so you may need to convert the mU/L accordingly. Google has a calculator to do that.

[@mikeghafoori8227]

Great explanation thank you 🙏

[@melissawitherspoon9094]

Thank you, Dr. Bikmen! I learned something❤

[@nancyarchibald9095]

I was out of my favorite Himalayan pink salt and had slowed in weight-loss. Since adding it back in, Im dumping water. Yay!

[@bsl5788]

Another great lecture! Thank you for educating us!

[@luckydesilva6733]

Excellent video - thank you . With respect .

[@terrybagatella3898]

Thank you.!!! Eye opening every single time. 🙏🙏

[@ScienceAppliedForGood]

It was an interesting topic that I didn't know about. Thank you Ben for filming this lesson.

[@ThomasWiemer]

Gracias Doc. Saludos desde Nueva España (New Spain, aka Mexico)

[@considergoodthings7749]

I enjoy learning from you. Thank you.

[@freesoulfreesoul6550]

Dear teacher i would love the biochemistry lesson as well. Thank you so much for the teaching. Regard from France.

[@janetburnsed6604]

Thanks for this lecture.

[@indialukeluke690]

Thank you for your in-depth explanation .... i will reach for the salt... completely makes so much sense

[@nannygranny9534]

After getting your Hlth Code meal replacement and seeing it as one of the ingredients, I ordered some. By the way, I do like your Hlth Code and am seeing results in my glucose numbers and losing weight. Thank you!! I was ready to give up.

[@NiceLoki]

What is this please?

[@sheilaabayateye1558]

​@@NiceLokihealth code is the protien supplement designed by Ben. 2 savings provides all the daily nutrients minerals and vitamins. I bought it but it was too sweet for me im eagerly waiting a flavourless one as I had gastric bypass sweet stuff makes me vomit

[@sheilaabayateye1558]

Not sure where you're from it is available here in uk

[@NiceLoki]

@@sheilaabayateye1558 thanks Sheila, I'm English.

[@simev500]

The chemical-physiological homeostasis is so incredibly and amazingly complex with its intertwined and adaptable pathways to effective self maintenance (to a certain limit) it would make actual rocket science a walk in the park. 13:48 Even if this were a short term adjustment, If the kidneys were triggered to pull sodium back to raise a BP below what the body considers too low, wouldn't that add to body weight? Just curious. 19:55 Restricting salt leads to insulin resistance?!! Those with CVD are advised to restrict salt to lower high BP, and now ....so the salt wasn't the culprit after all. Preceding civilizations had fought over their sources of salt before tea and spices became the next trading commodities to battle over. 😅This comes full circle, ha! Finding this the best video in all that I've viewed to date.

[@carolp5039]

Thanks for this amazing lecture, it explains a lot to me regarding my increased use of salt. Lost 20 lbs, less than 25 gms of carbs a day. I use Redmond’s salt liberally. My blood pressure averages 105/70

[@meatdog]

Incredibly enlightening. Thank you again for an amazing lecture.

[@gailtaylor6488]

Thankyou that was very interesting and has answered a lot of questions 👏🥰

[@LouellaDesouza]

Wow Will have to watch it again

[@ny10980]

O Oh! Starting with a commercial. But you haven't lost me yet!!

[@jennifermorris4473]

Curious thought. The SAD diet is quite high in sodium, the boxes and bags of carbs like crackers, cereal, bread have a lot of sodium. This excellent lecture makes a ton of sense for very low carb eaters. I suspect low ‘added’ salt, the salt shaker kind, has less effect on SAD eaters.

[@BenyaminMentchale]

Thank You

[@simonwiltshire7089]

Great post - thank you Ben.

[@eric1richards]

That was riveting! Thanks for sharing.

[@ingridsacca7691]

Fantastic lesson, tank you.

[@pvee-xp3sk]

It's interesting that the redmond salt preworkout you're promoting, on their website pic of the ingredients in that product, has the same exact 3 aminos - valine, leucine and isoleucine - that Norwitz and Feldman list as 3 of the 6 All Cause Mortality markers. (Those are 3 of the 6 MVX markers.)

[@laurafarmer725]

@pvee-xp3sk. I’m guessing because valine, leucine, and isoleucine are branched chain amino acids. Also i think leucine? is the trigger for mTOR pathway. Turn on motor you turn on muscle building. So their pre-workout product is designed to build muscle would be my guess. I wish i could remember the details better, but if you check-out Gabrielle Lyon MD she has all those details. The key takeaway i heard from hear, other than promoting a diet that Ben Bikman espouses is that you should aim for a minimum of 30g of protein per meal to help gain/retain muscle AND that lack of muscle (sarcopenia) is why older people usually end up need care prematurely. She has a formula for proper protein in grams based on ideal body weight or lean muscle mass or current body weight. Your choice. Based on lab data from her mentor Don Lyman.

[@zerrodefex]

Those are the BCAAs, good luck building muscle without those (especially without leucine.)

[@thomassaddul6070]

Thanks prof!

[@rustymorning431]

Thank you very much.

[@dort5436]

What a informative lecture!

[@charlesdowning5899]

Another great one! Thanks!

[@macgyverswissarmykni]

Was just thinking about salt yesterday (as I was adding copious amounts to my food).

[@donnahelps5680]

Once again, excellent information,succinctly presented!

[@mauriglisson6954]

I have lipedema, Self-Diagnosed but pretty obvious. I am so thankful that more is being learned about this particular disease. And I jumped on your video about it. Yay! Thank you for getting more information out there. I've noticed that if I intake I guess too much salt. I don't seem to process it well and I'll start to swell from it. It's my understanding that there is water in the fat tissue, more so than normal. So I was wondering if maybe lowering my salt and perhaps doing some dry fasting would help in my case. Or is there another piece to the puzzle that I need to put into place to keep the swelling from happening. I'm curious as to what your thoughts would be on that.

[@Martihorn]

Just a suggestion, but if someone tunes in who thinks salt is bad and first rattle out of the box you are touting salt, they might think you are just a shill for the company. If you teach a little about salt BEFORE you sell it, it might sell better too. Great video, though.

[@carnigoth]

I used to be high salt on keto carnivore. After perimeno I had to cut down a lot because of sudden horrendous water retention :(

[@JanicePhillips]

You actually need MORE water. 😉

[@carnigoth]

​@@JanicePhillipstried that. Big nope

[@olderandwiser127]

In one of her talks or interviews, Dr. Elizabeth Bright speaks of why this occurs. Check her channel for short lectures and/or the interview with Rina (5minutebody).

[@carnigoth]

​@@olderandwiser127thank you. I see a few vids. Do you remember which one?

[@catcan221]

Just curious what your carb intake per gram was on daily basis. I am post menopause and need both salt and potassium in every water bottle I drink (60-80oz/day) or I get low electrolyte symptoms. I also work out daily, doing hot yoga, swimming, saunas, etc., so I sweat a lot of electrolytes out.

[@lynnchandler5845]

Fascinating! Is there any connection between salt and sleeping better? I sleep much better if I take a shot of salt before bed.