European researchers disagree with CDC and WHO guidelines on sodium intake, re-opening the debate on what physicians should be recommending to patients.
Currently, Americans ingest an average of 3,400 milligrams of sodium per day. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends 2,300 for most adults and 1,500 mgs for those 50 and older. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends less than 2,000 mgs for all health adults.
Last year, a New York Times article stirred controversy, but challenging the sodium guidelines as being too stringent. Walter Willett, MD, PhD, of the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) challenged the Times saying the 2,300 mgs is fully supported by data but that the 1,500 mgs is less so.
Now researchers from the University of Copenhagen Hospital in Denmark claim the CDC guidelines are, “excessively and unrealistically low.”
The analysis looked at 25 different studies with a combined cohort of nearly 275,000 people. They study found an increase in mortality when sodium levels were excessively high and excessively low. The data suggests a safe range of sodium intake between 2,645 and 4,945 mg per day.
The researchers requested revising guidelines to include newer studies. In an interview with Medical News Today, lead researcher Dr. Neils Graudal said, “”I do not think that the CDC would consider the possibility that the CDC might be wrong.”
Others have questioned the 1,500 mg guideline for older adults including the Institute of Medicine and Canadian guidelines that both stay at 2,000 mgs.
We recently questioned the CDC for releasing data on the increase in incidence of autism and autism-related disorders using data that was gathered before the DSV-V guidelines were released.
As a physician, do you think salt intake should be restricted to 2,300 mgs a day or less? Have you had issues with patients when they went down to 1,500 mgs a day? If you’re an M.D. or D.O. we’ll be discussing this and other clinical issues inside Sermo. Please join the conversation.
Leave a Reply