2. No clear benefit for heart disease
It’s true that reducing your sodium intake can reduce your blood pressure.
However, blood pressure is only a risk factor for disease. What’s really significant is hard endpoints like heart attacks or death.
Several observational studies have looked at the effects of low sodium diets on heart attacks, strokes, and the risk of death (13, 14, 15).
One study found that less than 3,000 mg of sodium per day is linked to an increased risk of dying from heart disease, including heart attacks and strokes (14).
Disturbingly, another study reported a higher risk of dying from heart disease at the lower sodium levels that many guidelines currently recommend (15).
However, other studies have reported conflicting results, so this matter is far from settled (16, 17, 18).
In a 2011 review, reducing sodium didn’t reduce the risk of dying from heart attacks or strokes, and it increased the risk of death from heart failure (19).
3. 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 found that for people with heart failure, limiting sodium intake increased the risk of dying (19).
In fact, the effect was strong — people who restricted their sodium intake had a 160% higher risk of death. This is concerning, as people 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.
