Replacing regular table salt with a potassium-enriched alternative could prevent nearly three million deaths worldwide each year, according to a new study highlighting a potentially low-cost way to tackle high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.
The study, conducted by researchers at The George Institute for Global Health in Australia, assessed the potential health benefits of switching to potassium-enriched salt across 193 countries. According to their estimates, a global transition could prevent 2.96 million deaths and 10.17 million new cases of cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease annually.
"Excessive sodium intake and insufficient potassium intake are well-established causes of high blood pressure, one of the major risk factors for life-threatening conditions such as strokes, heart attacks and kidney disease," Bruce Neal, Senior Professorial Fellow at The George Institute, said in a press release.
The alternative product, available in some stores and online, works by replacing part of the sodium chloride in regular salt with potassium chloride. It looks, tastes and performs similarly to ordinary table salt in cooking, but helps address two dietary factors associated with high blood pressure at the same time: excessive sodium consumption and insufficient potassium intake.
"Switching to potassium-enriched salt addresses both of these dietary problems simultaneously and delivers substantial health benefits," Neal said.
High blood pressure is one of the leading risk factors for stroke, heart attack and kidney disease. According to the World Health Organization, approximately one in three adults aged 30 to 79 worldwide, or around 1.4 billion people, has hypertension.
Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death and disability worldwide, accounting for 19.2 million deaths in 2023.
The researchers examined several scenarios, including replacing the salt used in household cooking, switching to potassium-enriched salt in processed foods and restaurant meals, and targeted use among people already diagnosed with high blood pressure or receiving treatment for the condition.
Even a partial transition could produce significant results. Replacing household cooking salt alone could prevent an estimated 1.85 million deaths and 6.19 million cases of cardiovascular and kidney disease annually. Switching to potassium-enriched salt in processed foods and restaurant meals could prevent an additional 1.56 million deaths and 5.46 million cases of disease.
According to Neal, more than 70% of salt consumed in Europe and North America comes from processed foods and restaurant meals rather than salt added at home.
"To achieve the greatest benefits from switching to potassium-enriched salt, we need the food industry in Europe and North America to join this effort," Neal said.
The potential benefits are particularly substantial in countries with large populations and high rates of cardiovascular disease. A complete transition could prevent approximately 1.08 million deaths annually in China, followed by India, where nearly 400,000 deaths could be avoided.
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