Newly Released Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine released new recommendations on dietary intake of sodium and potassium on Tuesday, March 5, 2019 after 18 months of intensive study. The last time the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) were reviewed and updated for these nutrients was 2005. The DRIs are a set of reference values (e.g. Estimated Average Intake – EAR, Recommended Dietary Allowance – RDA, Upper Limit – UL and Adequate Intake – AI) for many nutrients and are developed jointly by various US and Canadian government agencies that include Health Canada, National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, US Food and Drug Administration, US Department of Agriculture, and Public Health Agency of Canada.¹

Dietary Reference Intakes are important because they communicate the best estimate of nutrient intakes assumed to be adequate for heathy individuals. DRIs are intended to provide scientific evidence in order to help direct food guidelines established by the government. Also new in this report is the addition of another category of values that offers recommendations based on chronic diseases, called the Chronic Disease Risk Reduction Intakes (CDRRs). This is the first ever DRI report to officially tie the overconsumption of sodium to chronic disease. ¹

This new report reaffirmed that sodium and potassium are interrelated, essential nutrients that play vital functional roles in the body, including being important for nerve signal transmission, muscle contraction, and fluid balance.¹

Some slight changes were also made to the official DRIs. Below is a condensed version that summarizes the results listing changes that occurred:¹

Sodium & Potassium Dietary Reference Intakes
Nutrient	Life Stage Group		AI (mg/day)	UL	CDRR	Changes
Sodium	Children	1-3 years	800a	NDb	Reduce if above 1,200 mg/dayd	AI decreased
		4-8 years	1,000a	NDb	Reduce if above 1,500 mg/dayd
		9-13 years	1,200a	NDb	Reduce if above 1,800 mg/dayd
	Females	14-50 years	1,500	NDb	Reduce if above 2,300 mg/day	No change
		> 50 years	1,500a			AI Increased
	Males	14-50 years	1,500	NDb	Reduce if above 2,300 mg/day	No change
		> 50 years	1,500a			AI Increased
Potassium	Children	1-3 years	2,000a	NDb	NDc	AIs Decreased
		4-8 years	2,300a	NDb	NDc
	Females	9-13 years	2,300a	NDb	NDc
		14-18 years	2,300a	NDb	NDc
		> 18 years	2,600a	NDb	NDc
	Males	9-13 years	2,500a	NDb	NDc
		14-18 years	3,000a	NDb	NDc
		> 18 years	3,400a	NDb	NDc

 

NOTES: AI = Adequate Intake; CDRR = Chronic Disease Risk Reduction Intake; ND = not determined; UL =Tolerable Upper Intake Level.

^a Updated DRI value, as compared to the 2005 DRI Report.

^b Not determined owing to lack of a toxicological indicator specific to excessive sodium intake.

^c Not determined owing to insufficient strength of evidence for causality and intake–response.

^d Extrapolated from the adult CDRR based on sedentary Estimated Energy Requirements.

 

Cargill is committed to helping our customers create great tasting foods and achieve their sodium and potassium goals. Currently, the average adult American is consuming too much sodium—3,400 milligrams (mg) of sodium per day or more, and close to recommended amounts of potassium  between 2,300 and 3,000 mg potassium/day.²  (The previous recommendation for intake was 4,700 mg potassium/day.) ² Our sodium reduction solutions range from specialty salts, to potassium chloride blends and solutions, to unique sodium reduction functional systems that mitigate flavor challenges.

Learn more about our full sodium reduction portfolio: https://www.cargill.com/food-beverage/na/sodium-reduction-solutions

 

Sources:

1. Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium. Highlights. March 2019. https://www.nap.edu/resource/25353/030519DRISodiumPotassium.pdf
2. https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/sodium/potassium