Substituting potassium-fortified salt for regular table salt reduces the development of high blood pressure in older adults, according to a new study.
Reducing sodium in the diet is one of the most effective ways to reduce high blood pressure.
But sodium’s effect on food taste can be complicated by the high sodium content of many packaged foods and restaurant or fast food options.
“Our results show an exciting breakthrough in controlling blood pressure, allowing people to protect their health and reduce cardiovascular risk while enjoying the opportunity to add delicious flavor to their favorite foods,” he said. Ffangfeng Wu, executive director of the Peking University Clinical Research Institute in Beijing, China, said in a press release.
Stages of high blood pressure
Normal blood pressure is less than 120 mm Hg / 80 mm Hg. A systolic blood pressure between 120 and 129 (with a diastolic pressure less than 80 mm Hg) is considered high or prehypertension.
Stage 1 High Blood Pressure Reliable Sources:
systolic blood pressure (the highest number in the blood pressure reading) is more than 130 mm Hg
diastolic blood pressure (lower number of blood pressure reading) is greater than 80 mm Hg
Stage 2 high blood pressure:
systolic blood pressure (highest blood pressure reading) is more than 140 mm Hg
diastolic blood pressure (lower number of blood pressure reading) is greater than 90 mm Hg
The use of salt substitutes is associated with a 40% reduction in the risk of high blood pressure
The study included 611 people aged 55 and older in 48 long-term care facilities in China. The average age of the participants was 71, and three-quarters were men.
To participate, participants could not have a blood pressure reading above 140mmHg / 90mmHg and were not taking high blood pressure medication at the start of the study.
The researchers randomly assigned half of the facilities to replace salt with salt and the rest continued to use regular salt.
Table salt is generally mostly sodium chloride. It can also contain iodine (for thyroid health) and other minerals in the case of sea salt. The salt substitute used in the study contained one-third less sodium chloride than table salt.
Instead of salt, it contains 25% potassium chloride, which does not increase blood pressure, and 12% of dried food flavors such as mushrooms, lemon, seaweed, sage and wild jujube, as well as traces of amino acids.
“Without the adverse effects of sodium on taste, salt substitutes provide a valuable tool to meet dietary restrictions and improve health outcomes,” said Dr. Maria Carolina Delgado-Lelievre, assistant professor of medicine at Miller University in Miami. The school of medicine at UHealth, the University of Miami Health System, was not involved in the new study.
After two years, researchers found that people who used salt substitutes had 40% less high blood pressure than people who used regular salt.
Salt substitutes do not improve low blood pressure
Additionally, there was no increased risk of episodes of low blood pressure or hypotension in those using salt substitutes.
According to the authors, the elderly are more susceptible to hypotension because they often have multiple chronic health problems and may be taking medications for hypertension or other conditions that lower blood pressure.
Low blood pressure increases the risk of falls in the elderly, which can lead to injury and death.
“The results show that adding salt substitutes to one’s diet can reduce the risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease … without posing additional health risks,” Delgado-Lelievre told Healthline.
Wu said in the publication that salt substitutes can be very beneficial for people struggling with high blood pressure.
“Thus, it is a desirable population strategy for the prevention and control of hypertension and cardiovascular disease,” he said.
However, Delgado-Lelievre cautions against applying the results of this study to people with high blood pressure.
The study has some limitations, for example, the results of the study are not determined before starting the study. However, the results are consistent with older research and what is currently known about salt
