A preliminary Japanese study suggests that diets lower in salt may have an effect on nocturia, or frequent nighttime urinating, reports Medical News Bulletin.

Results showed that of the 321 participants, 223 of them (69%) were able to adhere to the reduced salt diet.  Mean salt intake among those who succeeded in sticking to the regimen decreased from 10.7 g/day to 8 g/day.  Moreover, the decreased intake appeared to correlate with a decrease in nocturia: nighttime urination frequency among those with reduced salt intake improved from 2.3 to 1.4 times per night.

Interestingly, participants who did not adhere to the regimen actually showed an increase in salt intake as a group, with daily intake rising from 9.6 g/day to 11 g/day. Among these participants, nighttime urination frequency increased, from 2.3 to 2.7 times per night.

The full study has yet to be published, so detailed information about these results is not yet available. Authors of the study indicate, however, that the quality of life parameter among participants who adhered to the reduced salt regimen improved from 2.7 to 3.6, though it is not clear how that parameter was evaluated.

Read more at www.medicalnewsbulletin.com