Switching to Potassium-Enriched Salt Could Help Lower Blood Pressure, Say Researchers

Researchers believe that a simple switch to potassium-enriched salt could have a significant impact on lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of stroke and heart disease. High levels of sodium intake and low levels of potassium intake have long been linked to hypertension and increased risks of cardiovascular diseases. However, efforts to reduce salt intake have often failed due to the unwanted taste effects associated with low-sodium alternatives. Potassium-enriched salt offers a potential solution as it can be used as a direct replacement for regular salt, without compromising taste.

Potassium-enriched salt replaces some of the sodium chloride found in regular salt with potassium chloride. The taste and appearance of potassium-enriched salt are very similar to regular salt, making it indistinguishable for most people. Not only does it lower sodium intake, but it also helps increase potassium intake, which is crucial in maintaining healthy blood pressure levels. Insufficient potassium, primarily obtained from fruits and vegetables, is a major contributor to hypertension.

A comprehensive study involving over 20,995 participants with a history of stroke or high blood pressure found that switching to potassium-enriched salt effectively lowered blood pressure and reduced the risk of stroke, heart attacks, and premature death. These findings are supported by a review of 21 other studies, which suggests that a significant portion of the global population could benefit from using potassium-enriched salt.

The World Health Organisation has recognized the potential of potassium-enriched salt as an affordable strategy to reduce blood pressure and prevent cardiovascular events. However, current clinical guidelines for managing high blood pressure lack consistent recommendations on the use of potassium-enriched salt. Only the Chinese and European guidelines explicitly recommend its use.

The health minister in Australia has recently launched a national campaign to improve blood pressure control rates. Potassium-enriched salt is seen as a key component in achieving this goal. Efforts are underway to update Australian hypertension management guidelines with specific recommendations for potassium-enriched salt.

One of the challenges in implementing this switch is the limited availability of potassium-enriched salt in some countries. While it is stocked by several Australian retailers, it is often difficult to find and comes at a slightly higher cost compared to regular salt. However, considering its potential impact on disease prevention, the cost is still relatively low.

It is worth noting that the use of potassium-enriched salt must be approached with caution in individuals with serious kidney disease, as high blood potassium levels can be harmful to this subgroup. Currently, there have been no reported harms from potassium-enriched salt in clinical trials, but further guidance is needed to identify individuals at risk of hyperkalemia.

The switch to using iodised salt for public health benefits achieved great success in the past century. The next switch to iodised and potassium-enriched salt could have similar global health gains, but it requires concerted efforts to make it accessible and widely available. Organizations such as the George Institute Australia are actively engaged in promoting the use of potassium-enriched salt and working towards making it more accessible to the population.