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Sodium intake and cardiovascular health
Martin O'Donnell1, Andrew Mente2, Salim Yusuf2
1From the Department of Medicine (M.O.D., S.Y.), and Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (A.M.), Population Health Research Institute, Hamilton Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada; and HRB-Clinical Research Facility Galway, NUI Galway, Galway, Ireland (M.O.D.). odonnm@mcmaster.ca.
Circulation Research
|March 14, 2015
Summary
Current guidelines recommend low sodium intake, but new evidence suggests moderate intake (3-5 g/d) may reduce cardiovascular risks. Optimal sodium levels require further research, especially for those with hypertension.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Health
- Nutritional Science
- Public Health
Background:
- Sodium is essential, but high intake correlates with increased blood pressure.
- Current guidelines advocate low sodium intake (<1.5 g/d) based on short-term trials.
- Sustained low sodium intake has not been achieved in long-term studies (>6 months).
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the optimal sodium intake for cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention.
- To reconcile conflicting evidence regarding sodium intake and cardiovascular events.
- To inform public health recommendations on dietary sodium.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on blood pressure and sodium intake.
- Review of prospective cohort studies (>300,000 participants) on sodium intake and cardiovascular events.
- Examination of J-shaped association between sodium intake and cardiovascular outcomes.
Main Results:
- RCTs show blood pressure reduction with sodium intake <1.5 g/d.
- Cohort studies indicate lowest CVD risk at moderate sodium intake (3-5 g/d).
- Higher sodium intake (>5 g/d) increases CVD risk, particularly in hypertensive individuals.
Conclusions:
- Current evidence suggests moderate sodium intake (3-5 g/d) may be optimal for the general population.
- Hypertensive individuals may benefit from the lower end of the moderate range.
- Large RCTs are needed to definitively establish optimal sodium intake for CVD prevention.
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