Question on healthy daily sodium intake

Unless you have high blood pressure issues your max would be 2500mg. That is the max number for everyone.

HBP issues: less than 1500mg

We need at least 500mg for the body to function right.

If you workout a lot and do a lot of sweating then you can get away with more than 2500mg and still be ok. But I figure sweating can remove that amount between 500 and 2500.

The Lowdown on Sodium: http://thedailynewsonline.com/lifestyles/article_1de1c6a9-4c65-5cfe-b0d6-5c5d25fa65c4.html

Here's a quote directly from the new USDA guidlines, for anyone who is interested:

Reduce daily sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams (mg) and further reduce intake to 1,500 mg among persons who are 51 and older and those of any age who are African American or have hypertension, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease. The 1,500 mg recommendation applies to about half of the U.S. population, including children, and the majority of adults.

http://www.mypyramid.gov/guidelines/ExecSumm.pdf

Recent guidelines suggest no more than 1500 mg/day for everyone. Before this, the recommended maximum was 2300mg/day, with 1500mg/day for African Americans, people over 50, people with high blood pressure or chronic kidney problems... possibly some other conditions, too.

Bascially - the lower you can get, the better off your body will be. You only need about 500mg/day for proper body functioning, anything over than is optional.

The article states that the recommended amount for people other than those risk groups has not changed.

"The Agriculture and Health and Human Services departments, which issue the guidelines every five years, are telling people age 51 and older, all African-Americans and anyone with high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease to cut the amount of sodium they at daily to 1,500 milligrams per day, or little more than half a teaspoon.

For everyone else, the government continues to recommend about a teaspoon a day -- 2,300 milligrams, or about one-third less than the average person usually consumes."

Anyway, the OP states he is 51 so it would be correct to assume he should have no more than 1500 mg.

actually that is incorrect. recent guidelines suggest that we should be aiming for around 2300 mg/day, whereas previously it was thought that an additional salt restriction would be beneficial. Salt/sodium does play important roles in our body, although the typical diet of North Americans is higher in salt due to intake of processed foods etc...thus the feeling that we need to restrict it.

You're a little off - the newest guidelines (2011) suggest 1500mg/day as a maximum for everyone, not 2300mg/day. That was the old (2005) guidelines. Check out the article I posted.

quote from your article:

The Agriculture and Health and Human Services departments, which issue the guidelines every five years, are telling people age 51 and older, all African-Americans and anyone with high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease to cut the amount of sodium they at daily to 1,500 milligrams per day, or little more than half a teaspoon.

For everyone else, the government continues to recommend about a teaspoon a day -- 2,300 milligrams, or about one-third less than the average person usually consumes.


LIke I said, the recommendation is for 2300 mg a day. It isn't healthy to restrict sodium to a very low level.

Sorry guys - I'd been misinformed about it being 1500mg/day for everyone, and didn't read the whole article before posting. Have since corrected my posts/information.

Apologies.

one thing about sodium substitutes (i.e. half salt, no salt)..they tend to be high in potassium, which can cause problems if you have heart issues (such as hypertension). For that reason I really wouldn't recommend them to anyone.