What happens if you eat too much salt?

Short-term: thirst, bloating, temporary water retention. Long-term excess: increased blood pressure, higher risk of stroke, heart disease, kidney disease, and stomach cancer. The body can handle occasional high-salt meals, but chronic excess is the concern.

Can you eat too little salt?

Yes, though rare with a normal diet. Extremely low sodium (hyponatremia) causes headaches, nausea, confusion, and in severe cases, seizures. This is most common in endurance athletes and people on very restrictive diets.

Daily Salt Intake: How Much Salt Should You Eat Per Day?

By Saltrado Editorial Team|January 15, 2025|12 min read

Understanding how much salt to consume daily is essential for cardiovascular health. The relationship between salt and health is nuanced-too much raises blood pressure, but too little can also cause problems. Current guidelines differ by organization, age, and activity level.

Official Recommendations

WHO recommends less than 5g of salt (2g sodium) per day for adults. American Heart Association recommends no more than 2,300mg sodium (about 1 teaspoon of salt), ideally 1,500mg. Average American consumption is about 3,400mg sodium daily-well above guidelines. Most dietary sodium (over 70%) comes from processed and restaurant foods, not the salt shaker.

Salt Intake by Age Group

Infants (0-12 months): Less than 1g salt per day. Toddlers (1-3 years): Max 2g salt. Children (4-6 years): Max 3g. Children (7-10 years): Max 5g. Adolescents (11-17): Max 6g. Adults: Max 5-6g (varies by guideline). Athletes and heavy sweaters may need more to replace losses.

Salt for Athletes

Athletes lose 200-2,000mg sodium per liter of sweat depending on individual variation and fitness level. Endurance athletes exercising for more than 1 hour in heat may need to supplement sodium during exercise. Hyponatremia (dangerously low sodium) from excessive water intake without salt replacement is a real risk during marathons and triathlons.

Daily Salt Intake: How Much Salt Should You Eat Per Day? FAQ

One teaspoon of table salt contains about 2,300mg of sodium, which is the upper limit recommended by the AHA. If you add no other sodium from processed foods, it is at the limit. Most people get additional sodium from food, so 1 teaspoon of added salt may push total intake higher.