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[Part Three in Our Series on the Importance of Sodium and Potassium In Our Diet]
Of all of the latest developments in the Paleo diet world, maybe the largest, and most misguided, is the idea nutritious diet consists of copious portions of salt. Some voices inside the Paleosphere not solely counsel that the present U.S. dietary advice (RDA) to eat lower than 2,300 milligrams (mg) of sodium per day is incorrect, however in reality, we must always be consuming as a lot as 3 times that advice.
In his weblog, one widespread author acknowledged, “I really feel the information helps an consumption between three,000 and seven,000 milligrams of sodium [per day].” That “information” is a mixture of theories claiming our Paleolithic ancestors consumed excessive portions of salt and just a few latest research indicating  low-salt weight-reduction plan could contribute to heart problems (CVD) and insulin resistance.
None of that information holds up below scientific scrutiny.
Not too long ago, Dr. Loren Cordain carried out an in-depth evaluation of the sodium content material of all pure meals and confirmed that it might have been very tough, if not not possible, for our hunter-gatherer ancestors to have consumed even the RDA of 2,300mg/day, not to mention the 7,000mg really useful by some Paleo bloggers. The ethnographic information signifies that consumption was nearer to 1,000mg/day in hunter-gatherer societies. [1]
 Regardless of the big physique of analysis suggesting there have been low salt ranges in historic diets, some nonetheless search for methods to assert our Paleolithic ancestors ate in extra of three,000 mg/day. Two widespread theories have developed out of a “reverse engineering” method to the science, to again into a spot the place the science confirms what we would like to imagine. One suggests that hunter-gatherers received that sodium from animal blood. The opposite is that they adopted wild animals to salt licks. Whereas each sound affordable at first, they deserve a more in-depth look to see in the event that they maintain up below scientific weight.
 An evaluation of untamed moose blood (an honest analogue to wild animal blood) discovered that 100 milliliters (ml) of blood contained 63mg of sodium. So, to get 1,000mg of sodium, you would need to drink 1.59 liters. Or, to place it in day by day phrases, to eat the trendy RDA of sodium, you’d should drink a gallon of blood day by day. Now think about how a lot blood would be required for each particular person in a village to get 7,000mg per day. It’s sufficient to make a vampire jealous.
 Likewise, whereas the salt lick idea appears affordable, keep in mind that the Paleolithic period lasted over a million years. Think about what it might take for each humanoid ancestor to get three,000 to 7,000mg of sodium per day from salt licks for one million years. This raises the query: Simply what number of salt licks had been there on Earth? Extra importantly, in the event that they had been that pervasive, why isn’t there a single point out of them in any research of historical villages or cultures?
 Occam’s Razor states that the only reply is normally the appropriate one. And, on this case, the easy reply is clear: The massive physique of analysis exhibits that hunter-gatherer societies consumed round 1,000mg of sodium per day.
 
The New Argument: A Eating regimen Low in Salt is Unhealthy for Us
Different voices within the Paleosphere advocate a high-salt weight-reduction plan primarily based on their declare that a low–salt weight-reduction plan is unhealthy for our well being. This argument was given credence by a collection of research within the early 2010s that confirmed a J-shaped curve relationship between salt and mortality. This J-shaped relationship indicated that individuals who consumed massive quantities of salt had larger charges of mortality, however so did individuals who consumed low portions of salt. [2-7]
We wrote an intensive evaluation of those research just a few years in the past, and our factors are properly summarized in a 2013 meta-analysis led by Graham McGregor and colleagues. The group concluded “these two papers have many methodological flaws, reminiscent of measurement error in assessing day by day salt consumption, confounding elements not managed for, and reverse causality (that’s, the low salt consumption is the consequence quite than the reason for members’ sickness.)” [8]
Whereas the J-shaped curve idea of salt consumption hasn’t been holding up in latest analysis, many proponents of high-salt diets at the moment are arguing that a low-salt weight-reduction plan results in insulin resistance. A number of latest research, in each rats and people, have proven that when salt is closely lowered within the weight-reduction plan, it results in a discount in physique water which then stimulates the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS). That’s a mouthful, however what’s vital is that an activated RAAS inhibits insulin and results in insulin resistance. [9-14]
Curiously, nonetheless, a kind of research, revealed in 2014, appeared at RAAS particularly and concluded that it was “most likely not a mediator of elevated insulin resistance on a low-salt weight-reduction plan.” [9]
 
The Precise Knowledge: A Low-Salt Eating regimen Could Enhance Insulin Sensitivity… 
Two meta-analyses written by Niels Graudal and colleagues summarized the prevailing analysis on a low-salt weight-reduction plan and insulin resistance and concluded there was a relationship which gave credence to the speculation. [15, 16] Nonetheless, McGregor and colleagues additionally addressed these conclusions of their 2013 paper: [8]
The meta-analysis, nonetheless, was flawed from a public well being perspective, as they included numerous brief time period trials with a big change in salt consumption—for instance, from 20g/day to lower than 1g/day for under 4 to 5 days—and such metabolic research are irrelevant to the present public well being suggestions for a modest discount in salt consumption for an extended time period.
A 2016 meta-analysis revealed in Scientific Diet Analysis addressed the considerations of maximum sodium discount and brief research lengths.[11] The authors divided 25 research on low-sodium diets and insulin resistance into short-term vs. long-term research and excessive salt restriction vs. average reductions. 
The outcomes are proven in Desk 2, copied from the meta-analysis, beneath:
Taken from: Oh, H., et al., Low Salt Eating regimen and Insulin Resistance. Clin Nutr Res, 2016. 5(1): p. 1-6.
It’s vital to observe that for the needs of the evaluation, the authors outlined “average discount” as 390 to 780mg of sodium per day—consistent with the low finish of what has been seen in hunter-gatherers‘ diets. Research with excessive salt-restriction restricted consumption to lower than 390mg/day—beneath the really useful minimal consumption. Even the 2014 research RAAS activation on a low-salt weight-reduction plan admitted of their methodology: “10 mmol/day sodium is on the excessive decrease finish of the physiological vary of sodium consumption and never sensible for long run use.”
In Desk 2, research that concluded a low–salt weight-reduction plan contributes to insulin resistance had been all within the brief time period column and nearly all had been within the excessive sodium restriction column. Because the authors level out, the human physique will react to any excessive change within the brief run. Quick-term insulin resistance may merely be a short-term results of a sympathetic stress response and never one thing that might proceed in the long run. 
To additional make this level, all of the research that used average sodium restriction or had been carried out over a long run had both no influence on insulin resistance or, in three instances, improved insulin resistance.
 
A Excessive-Salt Eating regimen Could Make Insulin Sensitivity Worse 
A 2018 research in the journal PNAS addressed the query of salt and insulin resistance. Nonetheless, this research was exploring methods wherein a high-salt—not a low-salt—weight-reduction plan may trigger insulin sensitivity. The research acknowledged that “in distinction to short-term research, long-term consumption of a high-salt weight-reduction plan is related to elevated frequencies of weight problems, insulin resistance, nonalcoholic fatty liver illness, and metabolic syndrome.” [17] 
With out diving deep into the mechanism, the authors of the research discovered that feeding mice a one p.c salt resolution for 30 weeks elevated their pure manufacturing of fructose. Fructose is related to insulin resistance, diabetes, and weight problems. 
 One other 2018 research written by Zhaofei Wan et. al. checked out how a high-salt weight-reduction plan could contribute to insulin resistance in people. They discovered that feeding topics 18g of salt per day activated NLRP3 inflammasome, which in flip promoted a type of irritation related to insulin resistance. [18] 
To be truthful, this research was additionally a one–week research and the results might also be a short-term response to elevated salt consumption. However, even whether it is simply brief time period, one other fascinating discovery of the research was that taking four.5g/day of potassium together with the added salt appeared to undue lots of the inflammatory results of the high-salt weight-reduction plan. 
 
In Quick: The Knowledge Continues to Present That a Wholesome Eating regimen is Low in Salt and Excessive in Potassium
Sodium is a necessary nutrient; we’d like it to outlive. However we should be cautious to not translate that right into a “extra is healthier” method by pointing to the well being advantages of consuming enough ranges of sodium and extrapolating from there. Within the case of sodium, extra shouldn’t be higher, and a really convincing physique of science exhibits that 7,000mg/day contributes to a slew of well being issues, together with insulin resistance. 
The 2018 research by Wan et. al. targeted, for the first eight pages, solely on inflammatory markers, reactive oxygen species, and the results of salt on THP-1 monocytes. Briefly, if you’re in search of a nerdy learn from a bunch of scientists holed up in a lab, that is not one to overlook. 
So, it was fascinating to see them take a really Paleo flip within the dialogue part of their article. They state: “rising proof means that in contrast with prehistoric or primitive people, fashionable individuals with extra sodium and fewer potassium consumption are extra weak to affected by CVD.” 
Their closing advice acknowledged that “potassium is plentiful in contemporary vegatables and fruits. Subsequently, a better contemporary fruit and vegetable consumption and affordable salt restriction may defend towards the incidence of insulin resistance and CVD.” This squarely coincides with The Paleo Eating regimen. We hope this advice begins to steer extra individuals to rethink their sodium consumption.
 
Learn Extra in Our Collection on Sodium and Potassium within the Eating regimen:

References 
Denton, D., Salt consumption and hypertension in man. Primitive peoples, unacculturated societies: with comparisons, in The Starvation for Salt, An Anthropological, Physiological and Medical Evaluation. 1984, Springer-Verlag: New York. p. 556-584.
O’Donnell, M., et al., Urinary sodium and potassium excretion, mortality, and cardiovascular occasions. N Engl J Med, 2014. 371(7): p. 612-23.
O’Donnell, M.J., et al., Urinary sodium and potassium excretion and danger of cardiovascular occasions. JAMA, 2011. 306(20): p. 2229-38.
Pfister, R., et al., Estimated urinary sodium excretion and danger of coronary heart failure in women and men within the EPIC-Norfolk research. Eur J Coronary heart Fail, 2014. 16(four): p. 394-402.
He, F.J., et al., Does lowering salt consumption enhance cardiovascular mortality? Kidney Int, 2011. 80(7): p. 696-Eight.
He, F.J. and G.A. MacGregor, Heart problems: salt and cardiovascular danger. Nat Rev Nephrol, 2012. Eight(three): p. 134-6.
Stolarz-Skrzypek, Okay., et al., Deadly and nonfatal outcomes, incidence of hypertension, and blood stress modifications in relation to urinary sodium excretion. JAMA, 2011. 305(17): p. 1777-85.
He, F.J., J. Li, and G.A. Macgregor, Impact of long term modest salt discount on blood stress: Cochrane systematic overview and meta-analysis of randomised trials. BMJ, 2013. 346: p. f1325.
Garg, R., B. Solar, and J. Williams, Impact of low salt weight-reduction plan on insulin resistance in salt-sensitive versus salt-resistant hypertension. Hypertension, 2014. 64(6): p. 1384-7.
Prada, P.O., et al., Low salt consumption modulates insulin signaling, JNK exercise and IRS-1ser307 phosphorylation in rat tissues. J Endocrinol, 2005. 185(three): p. 429-37.
Oh, H., et al., Low Salt Eating regimen and Insulin Resistance. Clin Nutr Res, 2016. 5(1): p. 1-6.
Townsend, R.R., S. Kapoor, and C.B. McFadden, Salt consumption and insulin sensitivity in wholesome human volunteers. Clin Sci (Lond), 2007. 113(three): p. 141-Eight.
Fliser, D., et al., The impact of dietary salt on insulin sensitivity. Eur J Clin Make investments, 1995. 25(1): p. 39-43.
Iwaoka, T., et al., The impact of high and low NaCl diets on oral glucose tolerance. Klin Wochenschr, 1988. 66(16): p. 724-Eight.
Graudal, N.A., T. Hubeck-Graudal, and G. Jurgens, Results of low sodium weight-reduction plan versus excessive sodium weight-reduction plan on blood stress, renin, aldosterone, catecholamines, ldl cholesterol, and triglyceride. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2011(11): p. CD004022.
Graudal, N.A., T. Hubeck-Graudal, and G. Jurgens, Results of low-sodium weight-reduction plan vs. high-sodium weight-reduction plan on blood stress, renin, aldosterone, catecholamines, ldl cholesterol, and triglyceride (Cochrane Assessment). Am J Hypertens, 2012. 25(1): p. 1-15.
Lanaspa, M.A., et al., Excessive salt consumption causes leptin resistance and weight problems in mice by stimulating endogenous fructose manufacturing and metabolism. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 2018. 115(12): p. 3138-3143.
Wan, Z., et al., Involvement of NLRP3 inflammasome within the impacts of sodium and potassium on insulin resistance in normotensive Asians. Br J Nutr, 2018. 119(2): p. 228-237.
About Trevor Connor, M.S.Trevor Connor was Dr. Loren Cordain’s final graduate pupil at Colorado State College. His analysis with Dr. Cordain targeted on the results of a Paleo type weight-reduction plan on autoimmune circumstances. Their pilot research included near 60 volunteers with numerous circumstances starting from Crohn’s Illness, to A number of Sclerosis to Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. The outcomes had been very promising, together with all eight Crohn’s topics going into remission on the Paleo Eating regimen.Trevor began working with Dr. Cordain in 2010, quickly after retiring as a Skilled Bicycle owner. At 38, he felt it was time to hold up the bike. Trevor had studied conventional sports activities diet for over a decade and was admittedly very reluctant to simply accept the Paleo Eating regimen. However after experimenting with the weight-reduction plan himself, Trevor was capable of return to the Professional Peloton at 40, getting Prime 5’s in a number of races and establishing himself as the highest ranked 40+ rider within the nation for a number of years working.Trevor now writes the Teaching Part of the worldwide biking journal Velo, has his personal teaching enterprise, and just lately managed the semi-Skilled biking group Staff Rio Grande who’s alumni embrace Teejay Van Gaarderen, a high 5 finisher on the Tour de France and a number of nationwide champions.Trevor is at present engaged on publishing a number of research and critiques on the results of wheat on the digestive immune system. Not too long ago, he moved again to Canada so his spouse may pursue her dream of creating the 2016 Olympics in pole vaulting (as a Paleo Dieter and ranked high 10 within the nation in her mid-30’s.)View all posts by Trevor Connor, M.S.

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