article_snippet: In an experiment, German researchers discovered that mice which were fed a high-salt diet healed infections in German researchers more quickly.
article_snippet: This is because the salt had raised the activity of immune cells called macrophages, making immune cells called macrophages immune systems more responsive.
article_snippet: The findings, published in the journal Cell Metabolism, may also highlight how salt was once effectively used to ward off infections before antibiotics were invented.
article_snippet: Our current study challenges this one-sided view and suggests that increasing salt accumulation at the site of infections might be an ancient strategy to ward off infections, long before antibiotics were invented.'
article_snippet: The researchers found that infected areas in patients with bacterial skin infections also showed remarkably high salt accumulation.
article_snippet: But in experiments high salt diet mice had increased immunity against microbial infections by boosting the activity of immune cells called macrophages.
article_snippet: This meant that mice who had infections in their feet caused by a parasite called Leishmania major were able to heal more quickly.
article_snippet: Future studies will examine how salt accumulates in the skin and triggers immune responses, and why salt accumulates in the skin of ageing adults.
article_snippet: We also think that local application of high-salt-containing wound dressings and the development of other salt-boosting antimicrobial therapies might bear therapeutic potential.'
article_snippet: But local application of high-salt-containing wound dressings and the development of other salt-boosting antimicrobial therapies might bear therapeutic potential warned everyone should not rush off and start a high salt diet.
article_snippet: local application of high-salt-containing wound dressings and the development of other salt-boosting antimicrobial therapies might bear therapeutic potential added: 'Due to the overwhelming clinical studies demonstrating that high dietary salt is detrimental to hypertension and cardiovascular diseases, we feel that at present we data does not justify recommendations on high dietary salt in the general population. '
article_snippet: Nevertheless, in situations where endogenous accumulation of salt to sites of infection is insufficient, supplementation of salt might be a therapeutic option. '
highlights_snippet: Research has found eating salt can protect against skin infections .
  
highlights_snippet: Mice with a high-salt diet healed infections in their feet more quickly .
  