Salt substitutes significantly lower high blood pressure risk, study finds

Published on Feb.12 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, the study found that older adults with blood pressure above normal who used a salt substitute had lower incidences of developing high blood pressure. They also had lower blood pressure overall compared to those who used table salt.

The research, part of the DECIDE-Salt trial conducted at 48 elderly care facilities in China, involved about 75% male participants with an average age of 71. Over a 2-year period, individuals in the salt substitute group were 40% less likely to develop high blood pressure than those in the salt group.

Dr. Yangfeng Wu, Ph.D., executive director of Peking University Clinical Research Institute and senior author of the study, stated that the salt substitute is beneficial not only for people with hypertension but also for those with normal blood pressure, and it is safe.

The salt substitute used in the trial, comprising 62.5% sodium chloride, 25% potassium chloride, and 12.5% dried food flavorings, appeared to prevent blood pressure from increasing rather than causing a decrease.

High salt consumption has been linked to various health issues, including high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, kidney damage, and osteoporosis. The World Health Organization recommends consuming less than 2,000 milligrams of sodium or 5 grams of salt daily.

It’s important to distinguish between salt and sodium, as table salt is composed of sodium chloride, with about 40% sodium and 60% chloride. Sodium intake is primarily associated with processed foods, with only around 10% coming from the salt shaker.

Salt substitutes, like the one in the study, replace some sodium content with potassium and flavorings such as mushroom, lemon, herbs, or seaweed. The study suggests that salt substitutes could be a beneficial and safe alternative for both hypertension and normal blood pressure individuals.

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