evidence: Sodium chloride, commonly called dietary salt, is essential to our body. But a high salt intake can raise blood pressure, which can damage the body in many ways over time. High blood pressure has been linked to heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, and other health problems. However, not everyone is equally sensitive to high levels of salt. [...] The scientists were surprised to find that, whatever the level of salt consumed, sodium was stored and released from the men’s bodies in roughly weekly and monthly patterns. The team uncovered similar rhythms for the hormones aldosterone, which regulates sodium excretion from the kidney, and glucocorticoids, which help regulate metabolism. [...] "We have always focused on the role of salt in arterial hypertension. Our findings suggest that there is much more to know—a high salt intake may predispose to metabolic syndrome," Titze says. More work will be needed to better understand these mechanisms.