Incorrect information on internet regarding Salt/Sodium Intake – please be aware!

It has been brought to our attention that there is some incorrect information circulating regarding sodium/salt quantities for PoTS patients. We have not seen the journal article as it has been withdrawn for the error to be corrected. However, we are conscious that this misinformation will have been used/quoted on several other websites. 

The original article  (https://onlinecjc.ca/article/S0828-282X(19)31550-8/fulltext) correctly states 10g salt, but where it has been referenced in a different journal, a misprint has led to the text incorrectly stating the wrong sodium amount (although the information provided in the table is different and is correct) 

This highlighted an important point regarding the distinction between sodium and salt, as these terms are sometimes incorrectly used interchangeably despite representing different quantities.

10g (10,000mg) of salt is not equivalent to 10g (10,000mg) of sodium. Ten grams of salt contains approximately 4g (4,000mg) of sodium, whereas 10g of sodium is equivalent to approximately 25g of salt. 

Current recommendations for increasing salt and fluid intake in PoTS vary between individuals and should always be tailored by the patient’s treating clinician, taking into account symptoms, co-existing medical conditions, blood pressure, kidney function, and other factors. In general, many clinical guidelines and expert consensus statements refer to an increased salt intake rather than a sodium intake. 

Action taken: 

PoTS UK have contacted the websites we are aware of that are quoting the incorrect information but we have no way of knowing if we have reached them all. 

Please be aware when reading information online that it is not always correct and always follow your healthcare providers advice. 

Thank you very much to the person who brought this important matter to our attention.