Study Links High Salt Intake to 6-Year Memory Decline in Older Men
Updated
Updated · Prevention Magazine · May 20
Study Links High Salt Intake to 6-Year Memory Decline in Older Men
1 articles · Updated · Prevention Magazine · May 20
More than 1,200 older Australian adults tracked for six years showed no clear whole-group cognitive effect, but men with higher salt intake had steeper declines in episodic recall.
Neuropsychological tests given every 18 months pointed to episodic memory—a function tied to the hippocampus and often affected early in Alzheimer’s disease.
Researchers and clinicians said excess sodium may worsen blood pressure, inflammation and small-vessel damage, reducing blood flow in memory-related brain regions; men in the study also consumed more salt and had higher diastolic pressure.
The study was observational and relied on food questionnaires that did not capture salt added at the table or during cooking, so it cannot prove causation.
WHO recommends adults stay below 2,000 milligrams of sodium a day, with experts urging more fresh foods, fewer packaged products and lower-sodium choices.
Why might a high-salt diet damage memory in older men but not women?
Beyond just cutting salt, what is the optimal brain-protective diet for aging adults?