TUESDAY, April 21, 2026 (HealthDay News) -- Higher sodium intake may be linked to worsening cognitive function in men, according to a study published in the June issue of Neurobiology of Aging.
Francisca Chuwa, from Edith Cowan University in Joondalup, Australia, and colleagues investigated the relationship between self-reported baseline sodium intake and cognitive decline over 72 months using data from 1,208 cognitively unimpaired participants in the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle study (mean age, 70.9 years; men, 41 percent).
The researchers found a negative association between sodium intake and change in the episodic recall composite in men (β=−0.00002; false discovery rate-adjusted P = 0.044). There were no associations overall or among women. There was also no association when stratifying the cohort by apolipoprotein E status.
"Our findings provide early evidence of a link between higher sodium intake and cognitive function, but more research is needed to fully understand how and why this relationship exists," Samantha Gardener, Ph.D., also from Edith Cowan University, said in a statement. "There is some indication from previous studies that high sodium may contribute to processes in the brain associated with cognitive decline; however, further investigation will be critical to determine the underlying mechanisms and inform future dietary recommendations aimed at reducing dementia risk."
Two authors disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries.