Peat Archive

Ray Peat was a strong advocate for adequate salt (sodium chloride) intake, pushing back against the widespread medical advice to restrict sodium. He argued that salt restriction activates the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, raises adrenaline and cortisol, and can actually increase blood pressure in some people by triggering stress responses. He pointed to studies showing that moderate-to-high salt intake is associated with lower all-cause mortality than very low intake.

Peat recommended salting food to taste and noted that the body's craving for salt is generally a reliable guide to needs. He saw salt as supporting blood volume, kidney function, sleep quality, and overall metabolic rate. He was particularly critical of the blanket recommendation to restrict salt in hypertension, arguing that the evidence base for this was weaker than commonly assumed.