Salt is the greatest risk for people with heart problems, as doctors ask patients to reduce the amount of sodium they consume.
To reduce sodium intake, experts recommend eating more fresh fruits and vegetables and cooking with basic ingredients instead of processed, packaged and canned foods and sauces, which are often high in sodium.
But a new study says excessive salt restriction may actually increase the risk of early death for patients with heart failure.
This study builds on a growing body of research that posits that the benefits of eliminating salt for this subset of patients may be exaggerated.
Previous studies have linked excess sodium to high blood pressure, which increases the risk of heart failure and can worsen existing heart failure.
Too much sodium leads to increased fluid retention in the body, which increases the volume of blood inside the blood vessels. When more blood flows through the blood vessels, blood pressure increases, forcing the heart to work harder to pump blood around the body.
The Heart Failure Society of America recommends two to three grams of sodium per day for healthy individuals. However, those with moderate or severe heart failure should consume less than two grams per day, which is just under one teaspoon.
Sodium is found in almost every food, which makes it difficult to track and even harder to avoid.
Many people with heart failure have to severely restrict their diet and avoid these foods for fear of consuming too much sodium.
And in a new study presented at the annual summit of the American College of Cardiology last week, doctors reported that restricting sodium intake in the diet to less than the usual recommendation was counterproductive.
The researchers combined data from nine previous clinical trials, each of which assessed the effectiveness of different levels of sodium restriction for patients with heart failure.
Together, the studies collected data on nearly 3,500 patients with heart failure. After analyzing it, the researchers found that heart failure patients who followed a diet with a sodium intake goal of less than 2.5g per day were 80% more likely to die than those following a diet target of 2.5g per day and more.
Dr. Anirudh Balicherla, of Creighton University School of Medicine in Omaha, Nebraska, who led the study, said: “Sodium reduction is still the way to go to help manage heart failure, but the amount of restriction has been up for debate. This study shows that the focus should be on Establish a safe level of sodium intake rather than restricting sodium excessively.
The study authors urge the scientific community to continue research into optimal dietary sodium targets in otherwise healthy people with potentially fatal conditions.
