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releases 18/10/2004 THE COST OF CUTTING SALT When solicitor Robert Ulph fell ill on a recent hike in Mali, it was some quick thinking and, he believes, a "large dose of salts" from his sweaty t-shirt that saved him. The government's stance on salt led Robert (35), from Primrose Hill in London, to believe that there was no need to increase his intake when in a hot climate and physically active. The Food Standards Agency, which has recently launched a £4 million campaign to urge the nation to cut salt, gives the following advice on its website: "We only lose a small amount of salt through sweat, even in extremely hot places. So there's no need to eat more salt in hot climates." But Robert Ulph's experience was quite different. 'After I had been in Mali for about a week, I undertook a short hike with a guide', recalls Robert. 'We knew it was going to be extremely hot, so we set off before dawn and drank water frequently. Although thoroughly hydrated and not particularly tired, I began to feel very strange. 'My whole head felt as if it was being compressed. I could not balance, my arms were numb and, most frightening of all, I was unable to speak. It was terrifying. I lay down, and my guide gave me more water to drink and poured water on my head. But I didn't feel particularly thirsty, nor uncomfortable with the heat, so neither of those things made much difference. I was completely mystified as to the cause of my symptoms. Then I remembered a passage in my guidebook....' Robert's guidebook advises: 'Even if you're not a great perspirer, it's important to keep a healthy salt balance. The body can't function without it and it's not uncommon to experience sudden exhaustion a few days after arrival in a hot climate'. With no salty foods to hand and his health showing only modest signs of improvement, Robert came up with the idea of sucking the salt-laden sweat from his t-shirt. 'It may sound odd, but it worked. I started to make a very rapid recovery', says Robert, 'and was soon able to carry on back to the camp, where I had an extra large dose of salt with my lunch. I never suffered any similar problems for the rest of the trip'. Retired general practitioner and medical adviser to the Salt Manufacturers' Association, Dr Sandy Macnair, agrees that salt could have played a large part in Robert's recovery. 'As Robert found, without salt, our bodies cannot function', says Dr Macnair. 'Sodium depletion is usually associated with dehydration as, when we overheat, we lose water and salt through sweat. Those who are unacclimatised to high temperatures lose even more and can put themselves at risk by not replenishing their supply. By ingesting the sweat from his t-shirt, Robert effectively replaced some of the salt he had lost. Symptoms of insufficient intake can range from muscular weakness, cramps and heat exhaustion to - in extreme cases - death.' While accepting that those suffering from hypertension may need to seek medical advice on salt intake, the Salt Manufacturers' Association (SMA) is concerned about the government's blanket advice. The SMA believes that it could pose dangers to some vulnerable members of society. In the case of the elderly, cutting salt may be dangerous, especially in the summer months. Because they tend to drink less and are less acclimatised to hot weather, salt lost through sweat is not replaced. Their blood pressure rises, so putting added strain on their hearts. For a pregnant woman, a low-salt diet can cause problems with blood volume in the unborn child, which in turn can cause a rise in the mother's own blood pressure. Yet the Government's campaign to reduce salt in the diet has made no assessment of the potential risks of sodium reduction in these vulnerable groups. As Robert discovered, those at risk from heat exhaustion must also take care: 'I am afraid that I am inclined to have a lot of disregard for the FSA's advice on its website. The website smacks of just being a campaign to discourage people from eating salt, when what it should provide is a balanced analysis of the benefits and risks (if any) of salt in our diet. Apart from a cursory statement that "We can't survive without sodium", it doesn't say a word on what the importance of salt is to the body. Given the experience that I have had, I find that incredible.' SMA general secretary, Peter Sherratt agrees: 'The FSA's advice on salt intake in hot weather is at best questionable, at worse harmful. It is this sort of irresponsibility that makes us question its entire policy. Health policy should be based on an evidence-based scientific approach - that is why we are proposing to the Health Minister, Melanie Johnson, that there should be an independent, evidence-based review. Such a study would cost a fraction of their current campaign budget and could produce agreed, long-term consensus. We have told the Minister that we would happily contribute' media contacts Barrie Hedges, Daybreak Communications 0845 644 3845 notes and references
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