Low-Salt Diets May Harm Nigerians – Expert Warns Against Blanket Policies
Otamere Gladness 
Professor Augustine Odili
ABUJA, Nigeria – Blanket low-salt diet policies could harm Nigerians rather than improve heart health, a cardiovascular expert warns, challenging global assumptions on sodium intake.
Speaking to Africa Health Report during the weekend, Professor Augustine Odili says both excessive and very low salt intake carry health risks.
“The relationship between salt and cardiovascular health is not linear,” he explains.
The expert notes that Nigerians generally consume less salt than populations in Western countries, questioning the need for aggressive restriction.
Research links extremely low sodium intake to increased mortality, higher cholesterol and complications such as hyponatraemia.
“Both high and low intake are not good,” he adds.
He explains that severe salt restriction can trigger harmful physiological responses, including activation of stress-related hormonal systems.
While salt reduction may benefit certain patients, such as those with heart failure, he cautions against applying the same rule broadly.
“Advising widespread low-salt diets is not appropriate for Nigeria,” he says.
The warning comes as health authorities push sodium reduction strategies to combat rising hypertension.
Experts now call for context-specific dietary guidelines tailored to local consumption patterns.
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