A new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology suggests that using a salt substitute can significantly reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure.
This study analyzed data from hundreds of men and women aged 55 and above who were in elder care facilities in China. Researchers found that replacing salt with a mineral supplement, potassium chloride, by more than a third along with other flavorings such as mushroom, seaweed, and lemon was effective in protecting against high blood pressure over a two-year period.
This study’s senior author, Dr. Yangfeng Wu, said that the findings should apply to people in other countries, including the US. He added that anyone could benefit from replacing salt with a substitute, whether they have high blood pressure or not. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to various chronic diseases such as heart and kidney disease, diabetes, and dementia. Americans consume too much salt, about 3,500 milligrams a day, according to the American Heart Association.
The Food and Drug Administration recommends that healthy adults consume less than 2,300 mg of sodium (about a teaspoon of salt) per day. Potassium chloride, which tastes and acts like table salt without adding harmful sodium to the diet, can be an excellent salt substitute. The recommended daily allowance of potassium for people aged 19 and above is 3,400 mg for men and 2,600 mg for women. Wu said that earlier studies showed that salt substitutes could lower blood pressure, particularly systolic, among people with hypertension.
The present study extended the effect of salt substitutes to people with normal blood pressure. Systolic blood pressure indicates the amount of pressure in the arteries when the heart contracts and pumps blood through the body, while diastolic blood pressure is the pressure in the arteries between heartbeats.
“High blood pressure is a leading contributor to deaths worldwide,” said Dr. Deepak Gupta, an associate professor of medicine in the division of cardiovascular medicine at the Vanderbilt Medical Center. “Diet is clearly a contributor,” he said.
Dr. Deepak Gupta was not a part of the research, however, the study found that the salt substitute was effective in reducing the intake of table salt or sodium chloride, while simultaneously increasing the levels of potassium in the diet.
“Americans in general have low potassium in their diets,” Gupta said. “Having a diet enriched in potassium, even if nothing is done on the sodium side, is likely to have an impact on lowering blood pressure.”
According to a recent study, it can be difficult for people to reduce their salt intake for an extended period unless they find a satisfying substitute. The study used a particular type of substitute, but in the U.S., salt substitutes are available that either completely or partially replace salt.
Dr. George Dangas, a professor of medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine and chief of cardiology at Mount Sinai Queens, who was not involved in the study, shared similar views.
“We live in a very salt-rich environment,” Dangas said. “We need to figure out how to make supplements that preserve the taste so they will enhance compliance with salt reduction.”
Before increasing potassium intake, individuals should consult with their healthcare provider. Certain medical conditions such as kidney disease can lead to high potassium levels, and consuming more of the mineral can be hazardous.
The overall message of the study is that “limiting salt in the diet can bring down blood pressure, which is all important to heart health,” said Dr. Michelle Bloom, system director of the cardio-oncology program at NYU Langone Health and a professor at the NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine.
“People need to be more cognizant of labels and to be really aware of what they are putting in their bodies,” said Bloom, who was not involved with the study.
Even lowering blood pressure by a couple of points “can lead to a substantial decrease in the likelihood of heart attack, heart failure and stroke” Bloom said. “The typical American diet contains a lot of processed packaged food that has a lot of salt in it that people are often not aware of. There are other ways to satiate that part of a person’s appetite without salt, such as spices and lemon juice.”
