In a study supported by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, sodium reduction, combined with either a typical U.S. diet or one rich in vegetables, fruit, low-fat dairy, and low fat, substantially reduced blood pressure in persons with high blood pressure and in those with higher than optimal blood pressure. These findings were published in the January 4, 2001 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine.

DASH-Sodium Trial
The DASH-Sodium trial was designed to examine specific sodium intakes on blood pressure using two different dietary plans: a regular diet typical of American eating patterns, and the DASH diet which is low in fat with an emphasis on fiber, protein and minerals. Within each of the two dietary plans, participants maintained a diet at three different sodium levels, each over a period of four weeks: a higher intake of 3,300 milligrams per day; an intermediate intake of 2,400 milligrams per day; and a lower intake of 1,500 milligrams per day.

Participants
The trial included 412 participants, aged 22 or older, both men and women, and 57 percent were African Americans, who are known to have a higher incidence of hypertension than other Americans. About 41percent of the group had hypertension.

Conclusion
Overall, those receiving the DASH diet and the normal diet demonstrated substantial reductions in blood pressure as they moved from the highest to lowest levels of dietary sodium intake. This was significant for those with hypertension and those without hypertension.

When comparing the two dietary regimens, blood pressure was lower for those on the DASH diet at all three sodium levels. Greatest reductions in blood pressure were demonstrated in the combination of DASH diet with the lowest sodium intake of 1500 mgm. This was apparent in all sub-groups: overall, those with hypertension, and those without hypertension, and according to the report, this reduction was correlated in African Americans. These reductions in blood pressure were accompanied by a lower incidence of headache.

The findings in the study, confirm the benefits of reducing sodium intake in persons with and without high blood pressure. According to Dr. Frank Sacks, chair of the DASH-sodium Steering Committee and Associate Professor of Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School,

"The combination of eating the DASH diet at a lower sodium level has a significant effect - equal to or greater than the result you would expect with a single hypertension medication. However, the long-term health benefits of the low sodium DASH diet will depend on whether the American public is willing to make long-lasting dietary changes, including choosing lower sodium foods, and whether the food industry makes available a greater number of lower sodium food products."

For additional information, see Reducing Sodium Leads to Substantial Drop in Blood Pressure, Finds NHLBI Study at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/new/press/