Study of sodium and potassium intake in different categories of healthy subjects

The usual Na+ and K+ intake was investigated in 436 apparently healthy subjects, 370 men and 66 women, ranging in age from 19 to 56 years, distributed into three lots: 219 from a metallurgical plant, 100 from a military unit and 117 from an unselected population sample. The average Na+ intake amounted to 214 mEq/24 h in the first lot of study, to 224 mEq/24 h in the second and to 203 mEq/24 h in the third, the differences among them being not significant. K+ intake in the three lots was 38 mEq/24 h, 43 mEq/24 h and 49 mEq/24 h, respectively. Na+/K+ ratio reached 5.6 in lot I, 5.2 in lot II and 4.1 in lot III, compared to the unitary ratio in natural foodstuffs. The data obtained demonstrate that Na+ intake in the general population is excessive, while K+ intake is deficient. It is assumed that this might partly account for the great incidence of arterial hypertension.