Information for this post was obtained from a New York Times article.
Patients have long been advised to have a low sodium intake, especially those with heart disease. It’s undeniably true that too much sodium is bad for heart health. However, a new study in the Journal of American Medicine reveals that low sodium intake can also be detrimental to heart health.
From the New York Times:
Researchers conducted a study on 28,880 men and women over the age of 55 for about 5 years. The results of the study showed that a high sodium intake did in fact increase the risk for heart problems. Little did they know that a low sodium intake yielded the same results. Compared with those who excreted 4 to 6 grams of sodium daily, people who excreted 2 to 3 grams were at 19 percent greater risk for death from a cardiovascular event, and the less they consumed the greater their risk.
There is a sweet spot for salty intake, it turns out. Talk to your doctor about the amount of sodium intake that is right for you.
