A Silent Killer in Your Food Attacks the Heart Without Warning

SadaNews - A recent study has shown that excessive sodium (table salt) intake increases the risk of heart failure by up to 15%.

Heart failure is a medical condition where the heart is unable to pump blood efficiently enough to meet the body's needs for oxygen and nutrients.

Heart failure usually results from diseases of coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, the impact of diabetes on blood vessels, or weakness or enlargement of the heart muscle.

A New Study

A study published in March 2026 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology involved 25,306 participants, with an average age of 54 years from both genders who had not previously suffered from heart failure.

The results showed that participants consuming about 4,200 mg of sodium daily - compared to the recommended upper limit of 2,300 mg - were associated with a 15% increase in the risk of developing new cases of heart failure. The researchers noted that reducing sodium intake decreases the burden of heart failure risk.

The lead author, Deepak Gupta, an associate professor and director of the Vanderbilt Center for Translational and Clinical Cardiovascular Research, pointed out that the average sodium intake was 4,269 mg per day, and during a follow-up period of 9 years, 27.8% of participants developed heart failure.

The study also indicated that an increase of 1,000 mg/day in sodium intake is associated with an increased risk of 8.11%, regardless of diet, caloric intake, physical activity, or blood lipid levels.

The study highlighted that reducing salt intake to 4,000 mg/day or less could reduce heart failure cases by 6.6% over 10 years, translating to a decrease in heart failure-related deaths and a savings of about two billion dollars annually in US national healthcare spending.

How Does Salt Affect the Heart and Blood Vessels?

In an interview with Al Jazeera Net, cardiologist Mahmoud Bahbah from Saudi Arabia explained that the relationship between sodium intake and heart disease is strong.

Heart failure means reduced efficiency of the heart muscle, and symptoms gradually begin with chest pain and shortness of breath during exertion, which decreases the patient's ability to perform daily tasks, and it can develop into total blockage of the arteries and the occurrence of heart attacks.

Bahbah added that common causes of heart failure include weakened coronary arteries or blood clots, and excessive sodium accelerates artery hardening and leads to damage to blood vessels, dysfunction of their lining, and increased inflammation, which raises blood pressure and affects coronary arteries.

He pointed out that the most notable effect of salt is increased fluid retention in the body, which burdens the heart muscle during blood pumping and increases peripheral vascular resistance and blood pressure, exacerbating the risk of heart failure.

Recommendations

Cardiologist Mahmoud Bahbah recommended reducing daily sodium intake from table salt, and cautiously partially substituting it with potassium salt in low doses, as potassium salt helps expel sodium from the blood and dilates blood vessels, improving heart function and lowering high blood pressure.

However, excessive use of potassium salt may cause heart rhythm disturbances, especially in kidney failure patients who have difficulty excreting it.

Heart failure is often attributed to modifiable risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and lack of physical activity, indicating that it can be prevented. In the United States, the heaviest burden of heart failure is concentrated in the southeast region.

The Southern Community Cohort Study (SCCS), which included individuals from low-income backgrounds, Black individuals, and women, showed higher rates of heart failure and variation in the impact of modifiable risk factors on its occurrence.

For example, high blood pressure and diabetes are closely linked to the risk of developing heart failure, while adherence to healthy dietary patterns did not show a clear effect.

Sodium is an essential nutrient, but its average intake is excessive among most people. Reducing sodium intake compared to usual dietary patterns lowers blood pressure and rates of hypertension.

However, studies on the relationship between sodium intake and heart failure remain limited, prompting researchers in the SCCS to examine the risk of heart failure associated with dietary sodium and estimate the population attributable fraction (PAF).