Reducing salt consumption has been recommended to help manage cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure, based on the idea that our sodium intake exceeds the needs of our body. But a study led by scientists at UC-Davis lends credence to a recent finding that sodium intake is controlled by networks in the brain, not by the salt we consume.
The current US sodium guidelines for healthy individuals are no more than 2,300 mg per day, while for those at risk of heart disease, the recommended level is no more than 1,500 mg per day.
But a study led by David McCarron and published in the American Journal of Hypertension found that humans have a specific range of sodium intake each day, which lies between 2,600 and 4,800 mg. This range, say the authors, has stayed constant during 50 years and across 45 countries.
David McCarron says:
"Our data clearly demonstrate that humans' sodium (salt) intake is regulated within a relatively narrow 'normal' range that is defined by the body's physiology and biological need rather than by the food supply."
He adds that the future health policies and guidelines for sodium intake in the US should "be developed based on that biologically determined range."
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