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Sodium
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Common Questions
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1. What is the recommended dietary salt intake?
2. Is anyone at particular risk for low or high sodium levels?
1. What is the recommended dietary salt intake?
The Food and Nutrition Board recommends a sodium intake of less than 2400 mg per day for adults. People normally obtain adequate amounts of sodium in their daily diet, but it is important not to exceed this recommended maximum amount.
Common dietary sources of sodium are often processed food to which salt is added during preparation, such as cheeses, soups, pickles, and pretzels. Additionally, other processed, commercially prepared, or restaurant foods are generally high in sodium.
For people who are sodium sensitive or have hypertension, reducing sodium intake can lead to markedly beneficial health effects. But even if you don’t have high blood pressure, limiting sodium as part of a healthy diet may decrease your risk of developing blood pressure problems and heart disease.
Your taste for salt is both acquired and reversible. As you use less salt, your preference for it will lessen. The Mayo Clinic Women’s HealthSource offers ways to control sodium intake.
2. Is anyone at particular risk for low or high sodium levels?
Yes. People who have diarrhea, profuse sweating, burns, vomiting, Addison’s disease, kidney disease, or congestive heart failure may have low sodium levels. People with dehydration, diuretic use, Cushing’s syndrome, cystic fibrosis, neurological disorders, hypothyroidism, or renal failure may have high sodium levels.
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This article was last reviewed on
March 20, 2008.
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