Salty foods blamed for nocturnal trips to the bathroom

thirsty, so the double impact of salt and more liquid increases the need to urinate, particularly at night.

Most people still eat one third more than the maximum recommended intake which leads to higher blood pressure, putting strain on the heart, arteries, kidneys and brain and eventually leading to heart attacks, strokes, dementia and kidney disease.

Reducing daily salt intake from 8g to 6g per day could prevent 14,000 deaths a year, saving the NHS £3 billion, experts have calculad.

The new research which is being presented at the European Association of Urology conference in London, suggests that cutting salt could have even wider health implications.

Prof Marcus Drake, of the University of Bristol, said: “This is an important aspect of how patients potentially can help themselves to reduce the impact of frequent