More on salt, how much do you need?

Salt and rosemary

This research is interesting because it measured sodium and potassium excretion and examined the association between major cardiovascular events and death(O’Donnell M et al. 2014).
Urine samples from 101,945 persons in 17 countries were included in the study with a follow up time of an average 3.7 years. The average estimated sodium excretion was 4.93 g per day and the potassium was 2.12 g per day.

So how does this relate to sodium intake?

Based on the urinary excretion, an estimated sodium intake between 3 g per day and 6 g per day was associated with a lower risk of death and cardiovascular events than was either a higher or a lower intake.

Higher potassium excretion was also associated with lower risks.

These findings are higher than what’s been recommended for sodium intake in the U.S.. The recommendations in the U.S. are now being questioned by many.

 

 

 

O’Donnell M¹, Mente A, Rangarajan S, McQueen MJ, Wang X, Liu L, Yan H, Lee SF, Mony P, Devanath A, Rosengren A, Lopez-Jaramillo P, Diaz R, Avezum A, Lanas F, Yusoff K, Iqbal R, Ilow R, Mohammadifard N, Gulec S, Yusufali AH, Kruger L, Yusuf R, Chifamba J, Kabali C, Dagenais G, Lear SA, Teo K, Yusuf S; PURE Investigators. Urinary sodium and potassium excretion, mortality, and cardiovascular events. N Engl J Med. 2014 Aug 14;371(7):612-23. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1311889.