You know those “gold standard” trials that medical mainstreamers are always talking about? They don’t want to hear any theories about how this or that might be good or bad for you unless the evidence comes from a double-blinded, placebo-controlled “gold standard” trial.
And yet, they’ll be the first to tell you to limit salt intake.
Well guess what… There’s never been a gold standard trial conducted to back up the widely accepted notion that high salt intake boosts blood pressure.
That’s right: none. As in ZERO.
Age-Old Myth Hits the Elderly Hard
If you’re in your 70s or 80s and you confide in your doctor that you’re feeling fatigued, your balance isn’t so good anymore, and sometimes you’re easily confused, you know exactly what he’s going to tell you.
Something like… “These things are to be expected in advanced years.”
And that’s why doctors often miss a diagnosis for hyponatraemia–low blood levels of sodium.
Several years ago, German research showed that a surprising number of seniors suffer from hyponatraemia. The study reported that a large majority of the elderly subjects said they avoided salt based on the popular misconception that salt use causes high blood pressure.
The fact is, lowering sodium intake may actually INCREASE risk of heart attack and death.
In three different trials that tested low-sodium diets on patients with kidney disease and heart failure, results linked the special diets to higher risk of hospitalizations, cardiovascular events, and death.
Yeah–THAT wasn’t supposed to happen!
According to Dr. David McCarron–a nutritionist and University of California professor–there’s currently no reliable evidence that backs up the accepted recommendation to reduce sodium intake for heart health. Dr. McCarron says the recommendation is based only on opinion and the demonization of salt by health authorities, such as the CDC.
A few years ago, Dr. McCarron wrote, “My view is that it is very likely that low salt will ultimately prove to be another public health disaster. There is already sufficient evidence to suggest that low salt could actually result in increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
“But the reality is that the international community needs to commission controlled trials so that we have the evidence as to whether the current policy is safe and effective. To do anything less is irresponsible.”
So get to it, mainstreamers. Bring on those gold standard studies. Or stop risking patients’ health by telling them to reduce their salt intake based on nothing more than medical dogma.
Jenny Thompson is the Director of the Health Sciences Institute and editor of the HSI e-Alert. Through HSI, she and her team uncover important health information and expose ridiculous health misinformation, most notably through the HSI e-Alert.
Visit www.hsionline.com to sign up for the free HSI e-Alert.
Latest posts by Jenny Thompson (see all)
- Warning: Scam artists trying to con you out of cash! - October 12, 2016
- Daily 10 minute ritual slashes risk of 5 deadly conditions - October 10, 2016
- Is it safe to eat? Figuring out food expiration dates - October 2, 2016
