Low sodium intake could be riskier than thought
Date: 9.5.2011
The American Heart Association advises people to consume no more than 1,500 milligrams a day of sodium to reduce their risk of high blood pressure, heart attacks, stroke and kidney disease. This is less than half of what people consume now.
But a European study coordinated in Belgium raises questions about sodium's effect on the heart.
Researchers followed 3,681 people, average age 40, for about eight years, testing sodium excretion in the urine. They found that systolic blood pressure (top number) was slightly lower in those who excreted less sodium, but that didn't translate into a lower risk of cardiovascular death. In fact, those with lower sodium excretion had an increased risk of cardiovascular death. The findings were consistent in participants younger and older than 60.
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