scholarly journals Sodium Intake and Health: What Should We Recommend Based on the Current Evidence?

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 3232
Author(s):  
Andrew Mente ◽  
Martin O’Donnell ◽  
Salim Yusuf

Several health organizations recommend low sodium intake (below 2.3 g/day, 5.8 g/day of salt) for entire populations, on the premise that lowering of sodium intake, irrespective of its level of intake, will lower blood pressure and, in turn, will result in a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease. These guidelines were developed without effective interventions to achieve long term sodium intakes at low levels in free-living individuals and without high-quality evidence that low sodium intake reduces cardiovascular events (compared with average levels of intake). In this review, we examine whether advice to consume low amounts of sodium is supported by robust evidence. We contend that current evidence indicates that most people around the world consume a moderate range of dietary sodium (3 to 5 g/day), that this level of intake is associated with the lowest risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality, and that the risk of adverse health outcomes increases when sodium intakes exceeds 5 g/day or is below 3 g/day. While the current evidence has limitations, it is reasonable, based upon prospective cohort studies, to suggest a mean target of below 5 g/day in populations, while awaiting the results of large randomized controlled trials of sodium reduction on cardiovascular disease and death.

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (35) ◽  
pp. 3363-3373 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin O’Donnell ◽  
Andrew Mente ◽  
Michael H Alderman ◽  
Adrian J B Brady ◽  
Rafael Diaz ◽  
...  

Abstract Several blood pressure guidelines recommend low sodium intake (<2.3 g/day, 100 mmol, 5.8 g/day of salt) for the entire population, on the premise that reductions in sodium intake, irrespective of the levels, will lower blood pressure, and, in turn, reduce cardiovascular disease occurrence. These guidelines have been developed without effective interventions to achieve sustained low sodium intake in free-living individuals, without a feasible method to estimate sodium intake reliably in individuals, and without high-quality evidence that low sodium intake reduces cardiovascular events (compared with moderate intake). In this review, we examine whether the recommendation for low sodium intake, reached by current guideline panels, is supported by robust evidence. Our review provides a counterpoint to the current recommendation for low sodium intake and suggests that a specific low sodium intake target (e.g. <2.3 g/day) for individuals may be unfeasible, of uncertain effect on other dietary factors and of unproven effectiveness in reducing cardiovascular disease. We contend that current evidence, despite methodological limitations, suggests that most of the world’s population consume a moderate range of dietary sodium (2.3–4.6g/day; 1–2 teaspoons of salt) that is not associated with increased cardiovascular risk, and that the risk of cardiovascular disease increases when sodium intakes exceed 5 g/day. While current evidence has limitations, and there are differences of opinion in interpretation of existing evidence, it is reasonable, based upon observational studies, to suggest a population-level mean target of <5 g/day in populations with mean sodium intake of >5 g/day, while awaiting the results of large randomized controlled trials of sodium reduction on incidence of cardiovascular events and mortality.


1989 ◽  
Vol 256 (6) ◽  
pp. E863-E871 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Hisa ◽  
Y. H. Chen ◽  
K. J. Radke ◽  
J. L. Izzo ◽  
C. D. Sladek ◽  
...  

These experiments evaluated the contribution of alpha- and beta-adrenergic stimulation to plasma renin activity (PRA) during early and long-term dietary sodium restriction, compared with normal sodium intake. Uninephrectomized conscious dogs with catheters in the aorta, vena cava, and remaining renal artery were studied during normal sodium diet (approximately 70 meq/day), after 2-3 days of low-sodium diet (5-7 meq/day), and after greater than or equal to 2 wk of low-sodium diet. Direct renal arterial (ira) infusion of phenoxybenzamine plus propranolol decreased PRA by similar proportions (39-48%) during all three states of dietary sodium intake. The PRA achieved after adrenergic blockade remained higher (P less than 0.05) during early and long-term sodium restriction than during normal sodium intake. The effect on PRA of ira infusion of propranolol alone was not different from that of phenoxybenzamine plus propranolol during normal or low-sodium diet, and the magnitude of decrease in PRA during low-sodium diet was the same whether propranolol (1 microgram.kg-1.min-1) was infused ira or intravenously. In summary, beta-adrenergic stimulation accounts for similar proportions of PRA during early and long-term dietary sodium restriction and during normal sodium intake. Renal alpha-adrenoceptors appear to play little or no role in control of PRA under these conditions.


2017 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 553-567 ◽  
Author(s):  
Misook L. Chung ◽  
Linda Park ◽  
Susan K. Frazier ◽  
Terry A. Lennie

Although following a low-sodium diet (LSD) for heart failure (HF) has been recommended for decades, little is known about factors related to long-term patient adherence. The purposes of this study were to (a) compare sodium intake and factors affecting adherence in a long-term adherent group and in a non-adherent group and (b) examine predictors of membership in the long-term adherent group. Patients with HF ( N = 74) collected 24-hr urine samples and completed the Dietary Sodium Restriction Questionnaire and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Long-term adherence was determined using the Stage of Dietary Behavior Change Scale. The long-term adherent group had lower sodium intake (3,086 mg vs. 4,135 mg, p = .01) and perceived more benefits from LSD than the non-adherent group. Only positive attitudes toward LSD predicted membership in the long-term adherence group (odds ratio [OR] = 1.18, p = .005). Interventions focused on enhancing positive perceptions of the benefits of an LSD may improve long-term dietary adherence in patients with HF.


2013 ◽  
Vol 124 (10) ◽  
pp. 617-626 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Tikellis ◽  
Raelene J. Pickering ◽  
Despina Tsorotes ◽  
Valma Harjutsalo ◽  
Lena Thorn ◽  
...  

It is recommended that individuals with diabetes restrict their dietary sodium intake. However, although salt intake is correlated with BP (blood pressure), it also partly determines the activation state of the RAAS (renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system), a key mediator of diabetes-associated atherosclerosis. apoE KO (apolipoprotein E knockout) mice were allocated for the induction of diabetes with streptozotocin or citrate buffer (controls) and further randomized to isocaloric diets containing 0.05%, 0.3% or 3.1% sodium with or without the ACEi [ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitor] perindopril. After 6 weeks of study, plaque accumulation was quantified and markers of atherogenesis were assessed using RT–PCR (reverse transcription–PCR) and ELISA. The association of sodium intake and adverse cardiovascular and mortality outcomes were explored in 2648 adults with Type 1 diabetes without prior CVD (cardiovascular disease) from the FinnDiane study. A 0.05% sodium diet was associated with increased plaque accumulation in diabetic apoE KO mice, associated with activation of the RAAS. By contrast, a diet containing 3.1% sodium suppressed atherogenesis associated with suppression of the RAAS, with an efficacy comparable with ACE inhibition. In adults with Type 1 diabetes, low sodium intake was also associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality and new-onset cardiovascular events. However, high sodium intake was also associated with adverse outcomes, leading to a J-shaped relationship overall. Although BP lowering is an important goal for the management of diabetes, off-target actions to activate the RAAS may contribute to an observed lack of protection from cardiovascular complications in patients with Type 1 diabetes with low sodium intake.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 414
Author(s):  
Keiko Matsuzaki ◽  
Nobuko Fukushima ◽  
Yutaka Saito ◽  
Naoya Matsumoto ◽  
Mayu Nagaoka ◽  
...  

Background: the behavioral modification stages (BMS) are widely used; however, there are no reports on long-term nutrition counseling for cardiovascular disease (CVD) according to BMS. Aim: to study the effects of long-term nutrition counseling based on the BMS in patients with CVD. Methods: fifteen patients with CVD who participated in nutrition counseling were enrolled between June 2012 and December 2016. We provided BMS and dietary questionnaires to estimate the stage score (SS), salt intake, and drinking habits (non-drinking group (n = 7)/drinking group (n = 8)), and measured the blood pressure (BP), body mass index (BMI), and biochemical markers before and after hospitalization at 6 months, 1 year, and 1.5 years after leaving the outpatient department (OPD). Results: a significant decreased salt intake and increase in SS were found at 1.5 years. It significantly decreased the BP and salt intake in the non-drinking group at 1.5 years. Conclusions: long-term nutrition counseling according to BMS improved salt intake and BP in the non-drinking group. However, in the drinking group, increased salt intake might weaken the BP improvement. Temperance and low-sodium intake are essential factors that control BP, especially in drinkers.


Hypertension ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 75 (2) ◽  
pp. 266-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raquel C. Greer ◽  
Matti Marklund ◽  
Cheryl A.M. Anderson ◽  
Laura K. Cobb ◽  
Arlene T. Dalcin ◽  
...  

Use of salt substitutes containing potassium chloride is a potential strategy to reduce sodium intake, increase potassium intake, and thereby lower blood pressure and prevent the adverse consequences of high blood pressure. In this review, we describe the rationale for using potassium-enriched salt substitutes, summarize current evidence on the benefits and risks of potassium-enriched salt substitutes and discuss the implications of using potassium-enriched salt substitutes as a strategy to lower blood pressure. A benefit of salt substitutes that contain potassium chloride is the expected reduction in dietary sodium intake at the population level because of reformulation of manufactured foods or replacement of sodium chloride added to food during home cooking or at the dining table. There is empirical evidence that replacement of sodium chloride with potassium-enriched salt substitutes lowers systolic and diastolic blood pressure (average net Δ [95% CI] in mm Hg: –5.58 [–7.08 to –4.09] and –2.88 [–3.93 to –1.83], respectively). The risks of potassium-enriched salt substitutes include a possible increased risk of hyperkalemia and its principal adverse consequences: arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death, especially in people with conditions that impair potassium excretion such as chronic kidney disease. There is insufficient evidence regarding the effects of potassium-enriched salt substitutes on the occurrence of hyperkalemia. There is a need for additional empirical research on the effect of increasing dietary potassium and potassium-enriched salt substitutes on serum potassium levels and the risk of hyperkalemia, as well as for robust estimation of the population-wide impact of replacing sodium chloride with potassium-enriched salt substitutes.


Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 2934
Author(s):  
Yi-Jie Wang ◽  
Tzu-Lin Yeh ◽  
Ming-Chieh Shih ◽  
Yu-Kang Tu ◽  
Kuo-Liong Chien

Dietary sodium intake has received considerable attention as a potential risk factor of cardiovascular disease. However, evidence on the dose-response association between dietary sodium intake and cardiovascular disease risk is unclear. Embase and PubMed were searched from their inception to 17 August 2020 and studies that examined the association between sodium intake and cardiovascular disease in adolescents were not included in this review. We conducted a meta-analysis to estimate the effect of high sodium intake using a random effects model. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale assessment was performed. A random-effects dose-response model was used to estimate the linear and nonlinear dose-response relationships. Subgroup analyses and meta-regression were conducted to explain the observed heterogeneity. We identified 36 reports, which included a total of 616,905 participants, and 20 of these reports were also used for a dose-response meta-analysis. Compared with individuals with low sodium intake, individuals with high sodium intake had a higher adjusted risk of cardiovascular disease (Rate ratio: 1.19, 95% confidence intervals = 1.08–1.30). Our findings suggest that there is a significant linear relationship between dietary sodium intake and cardiovascular disease risk. The risk of cardiovascular disease increased up to 6% for every 1 g increase in dietary sodium intake. A low-sodium diet should be encouraged and education regarding reduced sodium intake should be provided.


Author(s):  
Jiang He ◽  
Jian-Feng Huang ◽  
Changwei Li ◽  
Jing Chen ◽  
Xiangfeng Lu ◽  
...  

Cross-sectional studies have reported that high sodium sensitivity is more common among individuals with hypertension. Experimental studies have also reported various animal models with sodium-resistant hypertension. It is unknown, however, whether sodium sensitivity and resistance precede the development of hypertension. We conducted a feeding study, including a 7-day low-sodium diet (1180 mg/day) followed by a 7-day high-sodium diet (7081 mg/day), among 1718 Chinese adults with blood pressure (BP) <140/90 mm Hg. We longitudinally followed them over an average of 7.4 years. Three BP measurements and 24-hour urinary sodium excretion were obtained on each of 3 days during baseline observation, low-sodium and high-sodium interventions, and 2 follow-up studies. Three trajectories of BP responses to dietary sodium intake were identified using latent trajectory analysis. Mean (SD) changes in systolic BP were −13.7 (5.5), −4.9 (3.0), and 2.4 (3.0) mm Hg during the low-sodium intervention and 11.2 (5.3), 4.4 (4.1), and −0.2 (4.1) mm Hg during the high-sodium intervention ( P <0.001 for group differences) in high sodium-sensitive, moderate sodium-sensitive, and sodium-resistant groups, respectively. Compared with individuals with moderate sodium sensitivity, multiple-adjusted odds ratios (95% CIs) for incident hypertension were 1.43 (1.03–1.98) for those with high sodium sensitivity and 1.43 (1.03–1.99) for those with sodium resistance ( P =0.006 for nonlinear trend). Furthermore, a J-shaped association between systolic BP responses to sodium intake and incident hypertension was identified ( P <0.001). Similar results were observed for diastolic BP. Our study indicates that individuals with either high sodium sensitivity or sodium resistance are at an increased risk for developing hypertension.


2019 ◽  
Vol 124 (4) ◽  
pp. 636-643 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karan Kapoor ◽  
Oluwaseun Fashanu ◽  
Wendy S. Post ◽  
Pamela L. Lutsey ◽  
Erin D. Michos ◽  
...  

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