Salt may have no role in high blood pressure

Reducing salt in your diet will not help lessen the risks of high blood pressure, stroke and heart attack. The long cherished belief that salt was a major culprit in raising blood pressure has been challenged by scientists.

Researchers from Copenhagen University reanalysed 58 studies that were carried out over a 30 year period until 1997. They concluded that, overall, the results did not support a general recommendation to reduce sodium intake. However, reducing salt in the diet could be used as a supplementary treatment in hypertension (JAMA, 1998; 279: 1383-91).

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