Americans have been told for decades that everyone needs to cut back on salt. The trouble is, research doesn’t support this conclusion. A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association this spring ignited a firestorm of controversy when the Belgian researchers concluded that people consuming the least salt had a higher risk of dying from cardiovascular causes. This runs contrary to the received wisdom, and many nutrition researchers complained.
Now an expert review of all the available data confirms the European research. Scientists with the Cochrane Collaboration analyzed seven studies with more than 6,000 volunteers, ranging in length from seven months to three years. Extended follow-up went on for 12 years in some cases. Although reducing salt intake in these intensive studies resulted in a small reduction in blood pressure, it did not lead to a significant survival benefit.
