Low Salt Diet increases Risk of Heart Attacks

A new study has claimed that people on a low salt diet are actually more prone to death due to heart attacks. The findings of the research have been published by The Journal of the American Medical Association.

Researchers observed a group of 3681 middle aged Europeans for the study. The group was actively monitored for a period of 7.9 years. The study also took into cognizance the fact that none in the sample were facing any cardiovascular and hypertension related problems at the time the research was initiated. The aim was to monitor every individual’s sodium intake in one day with the help of urine examination.

The result showed that heart attack risk was in fact upped by low salt diet in most people. At least 50 people on the lowest salt diet actually died of heart attack during the course of the research. The risk of heart attack related death was lowest in the group in people who had the highest salt consumption during the research. 10 people from this group died during the course of the study.

The research however, had been trashed by many professionals who are claiming it to be inconclusive, generic and indicative at best. There are of the opinion that the claim that heart attack risk is actually upped by a low salt diet belies the already proven fact that it is actually a high salt diet that increases the risks related to hypertension and heart attacks.