One in three Australian adults have high blood pressure. Excess salt (sodium) increases the risk of high blood pressure, so all people with high blood pressure are advised to reduce the amount of salt in their diet.
But despite decades of solid advice. failed To get Australians to cut their intake. It’s hard to get people to change their diet, season their food differently, choose low-salt foods from the supermarket shelf, and accept a less salty taste.
Now there is a simple and effective solution, potassium-rich salt. It can be used just like regular salt and most people will not notice any significant difference in taste.
It is possible to switch to potassium-rich salt in such a way that the amount of salt cannot be reduced. Ours A new study ends Clinical guidelines for high blood pressure should provide clear recommendations for patients to change.
What is potassium-rich salt?
Potassium-rich salts replace some of the sodium chloride that makes up regular salt with potassium chloride. They are also called low-sodium salt, potassium salt, heart salt, mineral salt, or sodium-reduced salt.
Potassium chloride looks the same as sodium chloride and tastes very similar.
Potassium-rich salt works to lower blood pressure not only because it reduces sodium intake, but also because of its sodium content. increases Potassium intake. Lack of potassium, which is mostly found in fruits and vegetables, is another major cause of high blood pressure.
What is the evidence?
We have strong evidence that a A random experiment In 20,995 people, switching to potassium-rich salt reduced blood pressure and reduced the risk of stroke, heart attack and early death. Participants had a history of stroke or were 60 years or older and had high blood pressure.
Overview Another 21 studies suggest that most of the world’s population may benefit from potassium-rich salt.
World Health Organization 2023 International report on blood pressure Potassium-rich salt has been highlighted as an “effective strategy” to lower blood pressure and prevent cardiovascular events such as stroke.
What should clinical guidelines say?
We collaborated with researchers from the United States, Australia, Japan, South Africa, and India to review 32 clinical guidelines for hypertension management worldwide. These are our findings. Published today In the Journal of the American Heart Association, Blood Pressure.
We found that current guidelines do not provide clear and consistent recommendations about using potassium-rich salt.
Many guidelines recommend increasing dietary potassium intake, and although all of them indicate a reduction in sodium intake, only two guidelines – Chinese and European – recommend the use of potassium-rich salt.
To help guidelines reflect the latest evidence, we have suggested specific terminology that can be applied in Australia and around the world:
Why do few people use it?
Many people do not know how much salt they eat or the health problems it can cause. Few people know that switching to potassium-rich salt can lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of stroke and heart disease.
Limited availability is another challenge. Many Australian retailers stock potassium-rich salt, but usually only one brand is available, and it’s usually found on the bottom shelf or in the specialty food aisle.
Potassium-enriched salts also cost more than regular salt, although they are still relatively inexpensive compared to most other foods, but not as expensive as many popular salts available today.
A 2021 review confirmed that potassium-rich salts were marketed 47 countries And those were mostly high-income countries. The price is up to 15 times higher than regular salt.
Although generally more expensive, it has the potential to be a potassium-rich salt High cost savings For disease prevention.
Prevent injury
A frequent concern about using potassium-rich salt is the risk of elevated potassium levels in the blood (hyperkalemia). Approximately 2% of the population With severe kidney disease.
People with severe kidney disease are advised not to take regular salt and avoid foods rich in potassium.
No harm has been reported with potassium-rich salt in any trial to date, but all studies have been conducted with specific guidelines for people with kidney disease in a clinical setting.
Our current priority is to encourage the use of potassium-rich salt in people being managed for hypertension, as health care providers may advise against its use in people at risk for hyperkalemia.
In some countries, potassium-rich salt is recommended for the entire community because of its potential benefits. Modeling study In China, if the population switched to potassium-rich salt, nearly half a million strokes and heart attacks would be eliminated each year.
What happens next?
In the year In 2022, the Minister of Health started this work National Blood Pressure Task ForceIt aims to improve blood pressure control rates from 32% to 70% by 2030.
For this, salt rich in potassium plays a key role. We are working with the Task Force to update the Australian Blood Pressure Management Guidelines and introduce the new guidelines to health professionals.
In parallel, we need potassium-rich salt to be more accessible. We are engaging stakeholders. Increase availability of these products nationwide.
The world has already changed its salt supply once: from regular salt to iodized salt. Iodization efforts began in the 1920s and spanned the better part of 100 years. Salt iodization Prevention has been a major public health achievement in the past century. Goitre (the way your thyroid gland grows) and improving educational outcomes for millions of the world’s poorest children, just as iodine does. important b Normal growth and development of the brain.
The next shift in iodized and potassium-enriched salt offers at least the same potential for global health benefits. But we have to make it happen in a certain time.
Xiaoyue Xu (Luna)science teacher, UNSW Sydney; Alta ShutSHARP Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine UNSW SydneyAnd Bruce NealExecutive Director of the George Institute Australia George Institute for International Health
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