How bad is salt? episode artwork

EPISODE · Feb 24, 2026 · 33 MIN

How bad is salt?

from Growing up WEIRD Podcast · host Guen Bradbury

In this episode, Greg Dickens and I discuss recent news on how the artificial sweetener sorbitol affects liver health, and how gut microbes influence this. We discuss how early-life adversity affects cardiovascular health, and why it’s so challenging to really understand this. We then talk about salt - why it’s important, why it can be harmful, and how we should limit salt consumption in babies. Finally, we talk about motor milestones in different cultures.For more information on salt consumption in babies, see this article: https://guenbradbury.substack.com/p/how-bad-is-salt-for-babiesTopics covered* How does eating sorbitol affect the liver, and how do your microbes help?* Does early-life adversity affect later-life health, and how does this differ in different cultures?* What does salt do in the body?* Why is too much salt bad for babies?* What foods do we need to limit for babies?* Do babies still roll in cultures in which they are never put down on the floor?These other podcasts cover related topics:Some of my subscribers have been urging me for a while to turn on the paid option to increase my Substack visibility. I’ve quietly turned on the paid option for this newsletter. Everything stays free, but you’d like to support my work, you can now upgrade – completely optional, always appreciated. NotesIntestine-derived sorbitol drives steatotic liver disease in the absence of gut bacteria https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scisignal.adt3549Early life adversity and physical health implications in adulthood: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030645302500397X Get full access to Growing up WEIRD at guenbradbury.substack.com/subscribe

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How bad is salt?

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