American scientists claim that a low-salt diet is not suitable for everyone, and for some, a diet with excessively low salt can have a more negative impact on the heart than a high-salt diet.
This new research does not confirm that a low-salt diet itself is harmful to the heart, but the group with the lowest salt intake had the highest mortality rate from heart disease. Dr. Hillel W. Cohen, a professor of epidemiology and population health, stated that the new research shows we cannot simply assume that a low-salt diet is absolutely safe.
The American scientists' research was based on a federal health survey conducted between 1988 and 1994, involving 8,700 Americans. The participants were over 30 years old. In 2000, the researchers re-examined the health status of these participants and found that compared to the 25% who consumed the most salt, the 25% who consumed the least salt had an 80% higher risk of dying from heart disease.
American scientists state that for most healthy people (especially those with normal blood pressure), there is no need to choose a very low-salt diet. Patients with normal blood pressure can also continue to consume salt, but in moderation. The overall dietary situation is crucial.