Sodium Salt: Why You Should Not Consume Too Much Sodium Salt

Too much sodium has been linked to high blood pressure, and health organizations recommend that we should limit our intake.
Sodium is an important electrolyte and a main component of table salt.

1. Increased Risk of Death from Heart Failure

Heart failure is when the heart is not able to pump enough blood around the body to meet its needs for blood and oxygen.

This doesn’t mean that your heart stops working completely, but it’s still a very serious health issue.

Interestingly, low-sodium diets have been linked to an increased risk of death in people with heart failure.

One review of controlled trials found that for people with heart failure, limiting sodium intake increased the risk of dying.

In fact, the effect was strong — people who restricted their sodium intake had a 160% higher risk of death. This is concerning, as patients with heart failure are often told to limit their sodium intake.

Yet the results were strongly influenced by only one study, so more research is needed.

Note:  There is some evidence showing that people with heart failure may have a higher risk of dying on a low-sodium diet. However, this needs to be confirmed by more studies.

2. Possible Increase in Insulin Resistance

A few studies have linked low-sodium diets to increased insulin resistance.

Insulin resistance is when the body’s cells don’t respond well to signals from the hormone insulin, leading to higher insulin and blood sugar levels.

Insulin resistance is believed to be a major driver of many serious diseases, including type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

One study of 152 healthy people found that insulin resistance increased after only 7 days on a low-sodium diet.

Yet not all studies agree, and some have found no effect, or even a decrease in insulin resistance.

However, these studies varied in length, study population and degree of salt restriction, which may explain the differences in results.

3. Higher Risk of Hyponatremia (Low Blood Levels of Sodium)

Hyponatremia is a condition characterized by low levels of sodium in the blood.

Its symptoms are similar to those caused by dehydration, and in severe cases the brain may swell and lead to headaches, seizures, coma and even death.

Certain populations, like older adults, have a higher risk of hyponatremia.

That’s because older adults are more likely to have an illness or take medication that can reduce sodium levels in the blood.

Athletes, especially those who participate in long-distance endurance events, are also at a high risk of developing exercise-associated hyponatremia.

In their case, it’s usually caused by drinking too much water and failing to replace the sodium that is lost through sweat. 

Note: A condition called hyponatremia, or low blood sodium levels, may affect certain people like older adults and some athletes. Eating less salt raises the risk of this condition. 

4. Increased Risk of Death for Diabetics

Diabetics have an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Therefore, many guidelines for diabetics recommend limiting salt intake.

However, some studies have found an association between low sodium intake and an increased risk of death for both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

However, these were observational studies, and their results should be interpreted with caution.

Note  Patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes may have an increased risk of death on a low-sodium diet. However, this needs to be studied further.

5. A Low-Sodium Diet May Raise LDL Cholesterol and Triglycerides

Many factors can increase the risk of heart disease, including elevated LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.

Some studies have found that low-sodium diets may increase both LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

In a 2003 review study of healthy people, low-sodium diets caused a 4.6% increase in LDL cholesterol and a 5.9% increase in triglycerides.

A more recent review reported a 2.5% increase in cholesterol and a 7% increase in triglycerides.

What’s more, these studies found that salt restriction only caused minor reductions in blood pressure on average, with a slightly stronger effect in people with high blood pressure.

How Much Sodium Salt Should You Eat?

Most current guidelines recommend eating 2,300 mg per day, or less. Some even go as low as 1500 mg per day.

However, even though too much sodium causes problems, eating too little can be just as bad.