The next time you say ‘pass the salt’, don’t be apologetic. While doctors advise elders to consume a low-sodium diet as excess salt can raise blood pressure and lead to cardiac and kidney-related problems, a new study has linked sodium levels in the blood to cognitive functions, especially in older adults. Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, US, draw attention to ‘hyponatremia’, a condition where the blood sodium level falls below 135 millimoles per litre (mmol/L). They point out that hyponatremia is linked with cognitive decline in seniors and some neurological disturbances such as attention deficit, falls, fractures, heart problems and premature death. In their study, the researchers examined 5,435 asymptomatic men aged 65 and more. A follow-up of 4.6 years showed that men whose sodium levels were 126-140 mmol/L were 30 per cent more likely to have symptoms of cognitive impairment and 37 per cent more likely to have symptoms of cognitive decline compared to men with sodium levels of 141-142 mmol/L. The study was published in Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. The conclusion: addressing low blood sodium levels could be valuable in halting cognitive decline as people age.

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Featured in Harmony — Celebrate Age Magazine
August 2018