Swapping salt with a salt substitute lowers blood pressure and reduces the risk of early death by 12 percent. Digest
Using a salt substitute helps reduce blood pressure, a 2022 review found. Swapping salt with a salt substitute dropped systolic blood pressure by nearly 5 mmHg and reduced the risk of premature death.
Researchers reviewed the findings of 23 randomized controlled trials involving more than 32,000 people with high blood pressure. The various trials investigated the effects of switching sodium-based salt with a potassium-based salt substitute on blood pressure, urinary output of sodium and potassium, and the risk of premature death from cardiovascular disease and other causes.
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They found that, on average, using a salt substitute reduced systolic blood pressure by 4.80 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure by 1.48. As expected, urinary output of sodium decreased considerably, while urinary out of potassium, which exerts robust blood pressure-lowering effects, increased. Using a salt substitute reduced the risk of dying from all causes of premature death by 12 percent.
Other research has shown that a 5-mmHg reduction of systolic blood pressure reduces the risk of major cardiovascular events by about 10 percent. When combined with other lifestyle behaviors, such as exercising, maintaining a healthy weight, and sauna use, using a potassium-based salt substitute is a promising, non-pharmacological approach to reducing blood pressure.