The World Health Organization (WHO) recently re-provoked the war on salt. In a 99-page report, they claim that too much sodium is responsible for nearly 2 million deaths per year. They’ve concluded that capping sodium intake at 2 grams per day reduces blood pressure, improves heart health, and could save 7 million lives around the world by 2030.
The WHO’s claims, supporting data, and broad-sweeping recommendations are irresponsible—dangerous, even. For starters, their limit is way too low, especially for active people. 2 grams of sodium per day would spell headaches, muscle cramps, and brain fog for just about anybody following a moderate workout regimen—far be it from promoting a healthy heart, brain, or bones.
And the 7 million saved lives? This figure comes from cherry-picked correlations and non-peer-reviewed modeling that uses funky assumptions, including that most of the world has high blood pressure. I’ll dive into this and other fallacies later.
For now, simply recognize that a blanket restriction on an essential mineral is a bad idea. Yes, it’s possible to overdo salt (as with anything). But the biological sweet spot for sodium is at least double what the WHO recommends.
Don’t take my word for it here, though. Let’s first address the report and review the data. Then, I’ll share some solid research that shows how sodium actually relates to blood pressure, heart health, and mortality.
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