“Salt water on an empty stomach, a habit that helps you have an easy bowel movement” ... Why Baek Ji-young and Lee Mi-sook sing its praises—and why doctors took issue [Health Issue]

[Financial News] The habit of drinking salt water on an empty stomach in the morning has attracted attention as a health routine among celebrities. Experts warn that while drinking water itself helps with hydration, adding salt can instead lead to excessive sodium intake.
Singer Baek Ji-young said on her YouTube channel last March that she mixes about one-third of a bag of salt into water and drinks it every morning. She said, “It’s rich in minerals, so I have an easier bowel movement after drinking it,” and, “It goes down more easily when mixed with warm water.”
Actor Lee Mi-sook also shared her morning health routine on YouTube on the 30th of last month. She said, “As soon as I wake up in the morning, I mix a little salt into lukewarm water and drink it.” She added that having time to herself while drinking water was her own morning routine.

It is widely known that drinking a glass of water after waking up in the morning is good for your health. The body loses water through breathing and sweating during the night, so drinking water after waking helps maintain fluid balance. Dehydration can harden stools, making adequate fluid intake important for preventing constipation as well.
However, there is little evidence that lukewarm water is better than cold water. Experts advise that the amount you drink matters more than its temperature. An analysis published in JAMA Network Open in 2024 examined 18 randomized clinical trials that adjusted water intake and found that drinking more water may help with weight loss and prevent the recurrence of kidney stones. The researchers noted, however, that relevant clinical trials were limited, and the analysis did not examine the effects of drinking water on an empty stomach in the morning or of drinking warm water specifically.
Some experts say salt water should be consumed with caution. Claims are spreading, particularly on social media platforms (SNS) such as YouTube, that salt water helps balance electrolytes, flushes out toxins, boosts immunity, and relieves constipation. Experts say, however, that healthy adults who eat a normal diet do not need to take salt water as a separate supplement.

The biggest concern is excessive sodium intake. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that adults consume less than 2,000 mg of sodium (5 g of salt) per day. According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Koreans consumed an average of 3,136 mg of sodium per day in 2023, about 1.6 times the WHO’s recommended amount.
According to the data, men (3,696 mg) consumed more sodium than women (2,576 mg), and people in their 30s and 40s had the highest intake. More than half of the sodium consumed came from noodles, kimchi, soups and broths, and stews and hot pots.
Excessive sodium intake can raise blood pressure and increase the risk of cardiovascular and kidney diseases. A study published in the international journal Hypertension in 2025 followed 327 adults in northern Kenya for two years. It found that for every 100 mg/L increase in the sodium chloride concentration of drinking water, systolic blood pressure was 4.5 mmHg higher and diastolic blood pressure was 3.3 mmHg higher. Because it was an observational study, the findings cannot be directly interpreted as showing the effects of drinking a glass of salt water, but they do show that salt consumed through drinking water is also associated with blood pressure.
People with hypertension, chronic kidney disease, or heart failure, among others, should be especially cautious. Those who need to manage their sodium intake should follow their healthcare providers’ guidance rather than consume extra salt water for health purposes.
[email protected] Kim Hee-sun Reporter