WHO Recommends Potassium-Enriched Salt For Hypertension And Reduced Risks For Stroke

According to the recommendation issued by the World Health Organization, using potassium-enriched salt substitutes for safe replacement for the regular consumption of salt with regular salt might save millions from the risk of heart attacks and stroke. It is within the global endeavor aimed at checking the risks due to hypertension because this is now regarded as one of the chief risks for developing cardiovascular diseases.

The global sodium reduction target is to reduce average population sodium intake by 30% by 2030. This is a significant step in reducing the burden of hypertension-related diseases. However, progress toward this target has been slow, and new strategies such as promoting the use of LSSS have been introduced.

What are potassium-enriched salt substitutes?

A better alternative to common table salt is potassium-enriched salt substitutes. These alternatives replace a percentage of sodium chloride with potassium chloride, which is known to decrease blood pressure. The potassium from these salt alternatives can neutralize the negative impact of excessive sodium consumption, hence making it an effective choice for those at risk of hypertension or for those aiming to reduce sodium intake.

Potassium-enriched salt substitutes are also available in various brands in India, but limited acceptance has been seen. There are two prime reasons for such limited acceptance—the higher cost and lack of consumer awareness about their health benefits. LSSS contains 15% to 30% less sodium than normal salt, hence a potential good tool for controlling sodium intake. However, others, like pink Himalayan salt, black salt, and sea salt, that have been popularized just lately, do not provide the same health benefits as potassium-enriched salt substitutes.

Health Benefits Credible to Scientific Studies

There is increasing evidence supporting the WHO recommendation, including 26 randomized controlled trials in adults, which all concluded that use of LSSS resulted in reduced blood pressure levels over several months to many years. Potassium content is among the key factors behind the observed benefits because potassium has been associated with the reduction of blood pressure and incidence of heart disease.

A recent study in JAMA Cardiology has investigated the benefits of potassium-enriched salt in the prevention of recurrence of stroke and death. It was an international randomized clinical trial conducted on over 15,000 participants from China who had previously experienced a stroke. The findings were impressive: the salt substitute containing 25% potassium chloride reduced recurrent stroke events by 14% compared to the regular salt group. The study also found that the use of potassium-enriched salt was associated with a 21% reduction in stroke-related deaths and a 30% reduction in hemorrhagic stroke, which is when blood vessels in the brain rupture.

Experts Weigh In on Potassium-Enriched Salt

While the WHO’s recommendation for potassium-enriched salt has brought hopes, health experts in India weigh in with their mixed views. “If all of us were to switch over to potassium-enriched salt substitutes, the intake of sodium would come down dramatically, lowering blood pressure and thereby reducing cardiovascular diseases,” believes Dr Mohit Gupta, cardiologist at G B Pant Hospital in Delhi.

On the other hand, some experts like Dr. Kameshwar Prasad, head of neurology at Fortis Healthcare, and Dr. Kunal Gandhi, senior nephrologist at Amrita Hospital Faridabad, argue that reducing overall salt consumption, rather than focusing solely on potassium-enriched substitutes, may be a more holistic approach to reducing hypertension and improving heart health. They stress that overall salt reduction, including the reduction of processed foods and reducing salt in cooking, is a must for better health outcomes.

Though potassium-enriched salt substitutes promise a reduction in hypertension and stroke risk, high levels of potassium are dangerous, especially in patients with renal impairments. Such individuals can hardly remove the excess potassium, and they develop hyperkalemia, which is known to interfere with heart rhythm and can even endanger lives. These guidelines of WHO are not extended to children and pregnant women due to uncertainty surrounding the safety of potassium-enriched salt for these two categories.

Recommendation by the use of potassium-enriched salt substitutes is well in line with other international ventures on sodium-reduced intake and a fight against hypertension. WHO’s strategy emphasizes more awareness campaigns to raise public awareness on LSSS benefits and adoption, mainly in countries like India, where cardiovascular diseases and stroke have a larger burden. However, the efforts must also be targeted at removing the adoption barriers that include the higher cost of potassium-enriched salt substitutes compared to those from other sources and those competed with by other salt alternatives that would less offer health benefits.

The global target to reduce sodium intake by 30% by 2030 is ambitious, but with initiatives such as the promotion of potassium-enriched salt, the world may take significant strides toward achieving better cardiovascular health for all. As people learn more about the problems of excessive salt intake and as people increasingly have access to potassium-enriched salt substitutes, this is hoping the change will bring healthy, long lives for millions worldwide.

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