Salt??? Is it THAT bad for you? Our Government has been wron

jbosey

This is an interesting article about salt. I am trying to followup of some of the sources of the quotes:

Health story of the year: Salt vindicated

(ARA) - Paul T. Meagher sometimes gets disapproving stares when people see him sprinkle his food with salt as he has done since he was a young lad growing up in Ireland. He has a response for such people.



"I tell them you can take my blood pressure right now, or we can have a run around the block, and I guarantee you I'm in better shape than you," said Meagher, 68, who now lives in Westport, Mass. "I'm fit, at least for my age, and I use salt every day in volume. Hasn't done me a blind bit of harm, which is the way we put it from where I come from."



Recent research quantifies Meagher's experience. In 2011, half a dozen medical studies showed the health benefits of salt or revealed the significant risks of low-sodium diets -- providing vindication for this essential nutrient and the people, like Meagher, who love it.



"The vindication of salt is probably the biggest health and nutrition story of the last year," says Lori Roman, president of the Salt Institute. "Everyone knows salt tastes good, but the latest research published in leading medical journals confirms that salt is good for you, too. The medical studies underline what we have been saying for years: science is on salt's side."

The new data raises questions about the federal government's effort to put Americans on a low-salt diet. The Food and Drug Administration is inviting online public comments about ways to reduce sodium consumption. In the past, such invitations have foreshadowed the rollout of new regulations.

The six peer-reviewed medical studies documented:

Type 1 Diabetes risk: In a study of patients with type 1 diabetes, low sodium intake was associated with renal disease and premature death.

Type 2 Diabetes risk: In an Australian study of type 2 diabetes patients, lower sodium was associated with increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease.

No benefit to salt reduction: A study published in the American Journal of Hypertension showed eating less salt will not prevent heart attacks, strokes or early death. On the contrary, low-sodium diets increase the likelihood of premature death.

Risk of death: A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association concluded that lower salt intakes resulted in higher death rates.

Other negative effects of low-salt intakes: An analysis published in the American Journal of Hypertension showed individuals placed on the U.S. Dietary Guidelines-recommended salt levels experienced significant increases in cholesterol and other risk factors for diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Risk with current U.S. Dietary Guidelines: An analysis published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that people who ate salt at the levels recommended by the U.S. government were at greater risk of cardiovascular events.

The research has prompted new scrutiny of the government's attempts to put all Americans on a low-salt diet. Scientific American reviewed medical studies over several decades and concluded in a headline: "It's time to end the war on salt." The respected magazine also said, "The zealous drive by politicians to limit our salt intake has little basis in science."

Meagher remembers when the federal government told him eggs could be bad for his health. He ignored that advice, too.

"I would rather the federal government stay well away from my kitchen altogether," Meagher says. "I will continue to eat my boiled eggs from an egg cup, with an egg spoon, and with plenty of salt."

Nurse_krissy

As a cardiac and ICU nurse, I have to STRONGLY disagree! I work with an astonishing number of patients who are adversely affected by high sodium diets. True, extremely low sodium diets aren't good either (balance, people!), but especially those who are battling congestive heart failure need to be extremely cautious of their salt intake. The AHA (American Heart Association) is still holding firm on their stand of limiting sodium intake to no more than 2 grams per day for those with impaired cardiac health and no more than 4 grams per day for those without risk factors.

premiumchilenita

ok, so I'm not a nurse or have any "facts" but I do know that many processed foods use sugar to balance salt and salt to balance sugar so it doesn't taste to salty or sugary, so in the balancing process too much sugar and salt is used. I think the more you make yourself at home, the more you know what you're putting into your mouth.

I love salt but I'm also conscious if I'm having processed food with all of this balancing business going on.

I also think salt isn't the only factor in America for obesity (or anywhere else for that matter) it's all the combinations of sugar, fats, salt's and portion. Seriously, I went to America and a small was equivalent to a large in Australia. Not bagging it our but individually we need to make those choices and really have a "balance" in our own diets.

lanniebananie

I'm just curious, by "low sodium", do they mean just not going over the recommended amount or actually being restricted to less? I have to do the former for health reasons, but I was told getting too little causes serious problems, so.

mudya

I use a low sodium salt so feel I'm not doing that much harm compared to before. I love salt and wasn't about to cut down on it, my food just wouldn't taste the same, so using the same amount of a healther alternative sounded much better

kag1526

What bothers me about this is "low sodium diet" is not defined. Of course the body needs some salt.

As for reducing sodium having no benefits. It depends are we reducing from 2500 mg or from 10,000 mg.

I just know I feel better and my blood pressure has lowered since I stopped drinking so much gatorade and eating so many frozen dinners.

auntie_missy

I wish this article had given numbers for context or given some indication of sources. "Some studies" is the biggest copout ever - if it's not okay in a basic English Composition class, it shouldn't be okay in a piece of professional journalism.

OP, can you share a link to the article?

Rilke

says Lori Roman, president of the Salt Institute

I stopped reading right there. hahaha

zendarah

As a cardiac and ICU nurse, I have to STRONGLY disagree! I work with an astonishing number of patients who are adversely affected by high sodium diets. True, extremely low sodium diets aren't good either (balance, people!), but especially those who are battling congestive heart failure need to be extremely cautious of their salt intake. The AHA (American Heart Association) is still holding firm on their stand of limiting sodium intake to no more than 2 grams per day for those with impaired cardiac health and no more than 4 grams per day for those without risk factors.

QFT

1953Judith

Albeit, I have no Salt Institute research to quote, I will stick to my low sodium (1500 to 2000 mg per day). My blood pressure, weight and my moods have been so much better since I have taken control of my salt intake! Gives me hope for the future since both my dad and my grandpa died of strokes in their mid sixties.

I have not seen research saying that high blood pressure is good. With a good blood pressure machine and good records of your eating habits, it is very easy to see if your blood pressure is sensitive to salt.

With the rise of the internet and the sharing of "studies", I just want to thank all those many teachers, friends and family members who drilled in the value of critical thinking. You have given me a great life gift that I did not appreciate at the time.

eddie8131

bumpity bump bump

sgtlittle

I think this should be a decision between you and your doctor, not broad scoped research. You and your doctor know your health better than any scientist. The data taken from the research journals should be peer reviewed and used as a guideline for you and your doctor to decide the best diet.

blondishandbookish

Depends what he eats - is it processed food & the addition of salt or is it non-processed foods where the only salt is what he puts on it.

Result is two very different amounts of salt.

ninerbuff

As a cardiac and ICU nurse, I have to STRONGLY disagree! I work with an astonishing number of patients who are adversely affected by high sodium diets. True, extremely low sodium diets aren't good either (balance, people!), but especially those who are battling congestive heart failure need to be extremely cautious of their salt intake. The AHA (American Heart Association) is still holding firm on their stand of limiting sodium intake to no more than 2 grams per day for those with impaired cardiac health and no more than 4 grams per day for those without risk factors.

But this is for people who are susceptible to sodium. If they are prone to high blood pressure and suffer from heart disease, then I'll agree high sodium isn't for them. But the whole "too much sodium" doesn't apply to a majority of people in the world. Asian populations have LOTS of sodium in their foods DAILY and don't suffer the maladies that Americans do from it. Why? Because most Asian countries don't have obese/very overweight issues.


A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

servilia

As a cardiac and ICU nurse, I have to STRONGLY disagree! I work with an astonishing number of patients who are adversely affected by high sodium diets. True, extremely low sodium diets aren't good either (balance, people!), but especially those who are battling congestive heart failure need to be extremely cautious of their salt intake. The AHA (American Heart Association) is still holding firm on their stand of limiting sodium intake to no more than 2 grams per day for those with impaired cardiac health and no more than 4 grams per day for those without risk factors.

But this is for people who are susceptible to sodium. If they are prone to high blood pressure and suffer from heart disease, then I'll agree high sodium isn't for them. But the whole "too much sodium" doesn't apply to a majority of people in the world. Asian populations have LOTS of sodium in their foods DAILY and don't suffer the maladies that Americans do from it. Why? Because most Asian countries don't have obese/very overweight issues.


A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

This ^^

hannahbellelechter

It's all about balance. Too much sodium makes me bloat up like a balloon.

frugalmomsrock

My dad always used to use salt very liberally also. He had very low blood pressure and all... and then all of a sudden, he had a horrible bout of headaches and come to find out, he was a walking heart attack with blood pressure through the freaking roof. It had finally caught up to him. Now he's on a reduced sodium diet and blood pressure meds.

All things in moderation. Just because some calories are necessary for life, doesn't mean I need 5,000 a day. Just like some salt is necessary for life, doesn't mean I need 5,000 mg. a day. Just because I need water to live, doesn't mean I need 8 gallons a day. Learn to moderate ALL things...

vjrose

Did a very quick internet search and found two articles, will post the studies later today if I can find the time and a usable link. Study says around 3 grams per day is good over 7 - 8 grams a day are still not good for you, many americans, my husband included easily consume in excess of 10 grams per day, so it is a matter of perspectives, 3-4 grams is way different than 7 or more grams. So what it is saying is if you aren't sensitive to sodium (as I am) then 3-4 grams a day is peachy, but those fighting for the right to have tons of salt are still out of luck, it is a matter of perspective on amounts. I will find you a study on the high end of the sodium game if I can.

Acg67

This is an interesting study, but has some obvious limitations

Fatal and Nonfatal Outcomes, Incidence of Hypertension, and Blood Pressure Changes in Relation to Urinary Sodium Excretion. JAMA. 2011;305(17):1777-1785. doi: 10.1001/jama.2011.574

http://jama.ama-assn.org/content/305/17/1777.full

A key finding was that in longitudinal analyses, systolic but not diastolic blood pressure changed in line with the change in urinary sodium excretion. However, this association did not translate into a higher risk of hypertension or cardiovascular complications.

Our current study has to be interpreted within the context of its potential limitations. First, one 24-hour urine collection might be insufficient to characterize an individual's habitual salt intake, but it does accurately reflect the average salt consumption of groups of subjects.42​ Thus, our analyses based on tertiles of 24-hour urinary sodium should be less vulnerable to the high intraindividual variability of sodium excretion. Second, our study population was relatively young, so that the number of events was relatively small, leading to a potential underestimation of the risk of excessive sodium intake. In particular, EPOGH participants were younger than those participating in the FLEMENGHO study and were only followed up for a median of 6.5 years compared with 10.6 years. Third, our study included only white Europeans and its findings therefore cannot be extrapolated to Asian or in particular black individuals, who might be more salt sensitive than white people.43,44​ Fourth, we did not assess sodium sensitivity. Blood pressure responses to changes in dietary salt intake are heterogeneous,45 but there is no practical clinical test to assess sodium sensitivity in individual subjects.

In conclusion, we observed significant cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between systolic pressure and sodium excretion in the whole study population. However, these associations were not consistent among FLEMENGHO and EPOGH participants. Diastolic pressure was not correlated with sodium excretion. Baseline sodium excretion did not predict the incidence of hypertension. The associations between systolic pressure and sodium excretion did not translate into less morbidity or improved survival. On the contrary, low sodium excretion predicted higher cardiovascular mortality. Taken together, our current findings refute the estimates of computer models of lives saved and health care costs reduced with lower salt intake.5​,6,7​ They do also not support the current recommendations of a generalized and indiscriminate reduction of salt intake at the population level. However, they do not negate the blood pressure−lowering effects of a dietary salt reduction in hypertensive patients.1

Bentley2718

I don't eat much processed food, so if I don't eat a little salt here and there, I get a salt imbalance. I start to feel weak (can't work out, my muscles shake and give out) and awful. But if you eat processed food, you'll get more than enough--even if it's just breakfast cereal, canned beans, or canned tomatoes.

Also, your doctor only knows what she or he knows from peer reviewed research. That said, if you're truly healthy, whatever you're doing is probably working for your body.

Runnermadre

Salt actually is a very essential nutrient. The biggest problem is the amounts we get from processed foods. My grandma was actually hospitalized and almost died after years of being on a low sodium diet per her doctor's orders. She used NoSalt, and flavored her foods other ways. She still occasionally had potato chips and those kinds of things so she was still getting some sodium. After running lots of tests on her in ER they found out that her sodium levels were extremely low, and yes, this can be life threatening. Instead of getting caught up in the low sodium kicks that so many are on, maybe the focus should be more on the sources of the sodium. I say if you are the one controlling the salt in your food, then eat it how you like. We are salty beings, which is why your tears and body fluids are all salty. It's also been used for lots and lots of years, even in ancient times, and those people didn't have all the problems we have now.