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Landmark study shows simple salt swap could prevent millions of deaths each year
https://medicalxpress.com ^ | August 30, 2021 | by George Institute for Global Health

Posted on 08/30/2021 1:03:23 PM PDT by Red Badger

Replacing table salt with a reduced-sodium, added-potassium 'salt substitute' significantly reduces rates of stroke, heart attack and death, according to the results of one of the largest dietary intervention studies ever conducted.

Presented at a 'hotline session' at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in Paris on August 29, and simultaneously published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the results also showed that there were no harmful effects from the salt substitute.

High levels of sodium intake and low levels of potassium intake are widespread, and both are linked to high blood pressure and greater risks of stroke, heart disease and premature death. Using a salt substitute—where part of the sodium chloride is replaced with potassium chloride—addresses both problems at once. Salt substitutes are known to lower blood pressure but their effects on heart disease, stroke, and death were unclear, until now.

Lead investigator, Professor Bruce Neal of The George Institute for Global Health, said that the scale of the benefit seen in the study could prevent millions of early deaths if salt substitutes were widely adopted.

"Almost everyone in the world eats more salt than they should. Switching to a salt substitute is something that everyone could do if salt substitutes were on the supermarket shelves,"' he said.

'"Better still, while salt substitutes are a bit more expensive than regular salt, they're still very low-cost—just a few dollars a year to make the switch."

"As well as showing clear benefits for important health outcomes, our study also allays concerns about possible risks. We saw no indication of any harm from the added potassium in the salt substitute. Certainly, patients with serious kidney disease should not use salt substitutes, but they need to keep away from regular salt as well," added Professor Neal.

The Salt Substitute and Stroke Study enrolled 21,000 adults with either a history of stroke or poorly controlled blood pressure from 600 villages in rural areas of five provinces in China—Hebei, Liaoning, Ningxia, Shanxi and Shaanxi between April 2014 and January 2015.

Participants in intervention villages were provided enough salt substitute to cover all household cooking and food preservation requirements—about 20g per person per day—free-of-charge. Those in the other villages continued using regular salt.

During an average follow up of almost five years, more than 3,000 people had a stroke. For those using the salt substitute, researchers found that stroke risk was reduced by 14 percent, total cardiovascular events (strokes and heart attacks combined) by 13 percent and premature death by 12 percent.

Professor Neal said that because salt substitutes are relatively cheap (about US$1.62 per kilo versus US$1.08 per kilo for regular salt in China) they are likely to be very cost effective too.

'"Last year, a modeling study done for China suggested that about 400,000 premature deaths might be prevented each year by national uptake of salt substitute. Our results now confirm this. If salt was switched for salt substitute worldwide, there would be several million premature deaths prevented every year," he said.

"This is quite simply the single most worthwhile piece of research I've ever been involved with. Switching table salt to salt substitute is a highly feasible and low-cost opportunity to have a massive global health benefit."

As a result of the study, George Institute researchers are calling for the following actions:

Salt manufacturers and retailers worldwide should switch to producing and marketing salt substitute at scale

Governments worldwide should design polices to promote salt substitute and discourage regular salt use

Consumers worldwide should cook, season and preserve foods with salt substitute not regular salt

Explore further:

Salt substitution—an effective way to reduce blood pressure in rural India

More information: Bruce Neal et al, Effect of Salt Substitution on Cardiovascular Events and Death, New England Journal of Medicine (2021). DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2105675

Journal information: New England Journal of Medicine

Provided by George Institute for Global Health


TOPICS: Agriculture; Food; Gardening; Health/Medicine
KEYWORDS: ksalt; salt
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1 posted on 08/30/2021 1:03:23 PM PDT by Red Badger
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To: Red Badger

Hebei, Liaoning, Ningxia, Shanxi and Shaanxi


2 posted on 08/30/2021 1:05:22 PM PDT by nascarnation
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To: Red Badger

If you don’t swap your salt, you won’t be able to fly on commercial airlines, or eat in a restaurant or treated in a hospital, or.......

It’s for your own good, don’t ya know?


3 posted on 08/30/2021 1:06:27 PM PDT by gubamyster
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To: Red Badger

My Dr gave me the same advice. Less sodium more potassium. But like with everything else too much potassium causes problems as well. It’s a balancing act.


4 posted on 08/30/2021 1:07:29 PM PDT by Impala64ssa (Virtue signalling is no virtue)
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To: Red Badger
Cannot STAND the taste of salt substitutes!!!!
5 posted on 08/30/2021 1:07:32 PM PDT by Chad C. Mulligan
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To: Red Badger

I have slightly elevated blood pressure (Gee! I wonder WHY these days?!?!) and my Doc says NO to salt substitutes.

But, maybe I’ll hear differently now. I can’t stand how they taste in the first place, and I go without or use salt-free herb blends instead of salt, anyway.


6 posted on 08/30/2021 1:09:47 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust post-Apocalyptic skill set. )
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To: Red Badger

From my cold dead hands.


7 posted on 08/30/2021 1:11:03 PM PDT by Mrs. Yuleeyahoo
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To: Red Badger

Salt (sodium) is a well know cause of hypertension. And hypertension is a well known cause of many cardiac disorders.


8 posted on 08/30/2021 1:11:46 PM PDT by Gay State Conservative (Covid Is All About Mail In Balloting)
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To: Chad C. Mulligan

I’ve never used a salt substitute.


9 posted on 08/30/2021 1:13:26 PM PDT by rdl6989 ( )
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To: Red Badger

I’m lucky, I guess: I don’t like the taste of salt. Now, if they ever decide black pepper is gonna kill me...


10 posted on 08/30/2021 1:13:39 PM PDT by Retrofitted
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To: Red Badger

Here in Phoenix, salt intake is necessary during the summer months. Gatorade (Zero) will give you salt AND potassium.


11 posted on 08/30/2021 1:14:27 PM PDT by Dr. Sivana (There is no salvation in politics.)
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To: Red Badger

Dammit. I don’t have a sweet tooth, I have a salt tooth. I can skip dessert, cookies, cake, ice cream, you name it. But I love my salty snacks.


12 posted on 08/30/2021 1:14:28 PM PDT by BBQToadRibs2
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To: gubamyster

You don’t need your food to taste good. Now shut up and eat your kale.


13 posted on 08/30/2021 1:14:46 PM PDT by The Free Engineer
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To: Red Badger

My only question: can you cure bacon with it?


14 posted on 08/30/2021 1:16:54 PM PDT by fwdude (If you don’t think you are in a battle w/ the culture for your children then you are already losing.)
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To: Mrs. Yuleeyahoo
From my cold dead hands.

Agreed. I could enjoy life less, take fewer risks, etc. and prolong a less satisfying existence by a few years... Or I could enjoy the time I have to the fullest. Not a hard choice for me at all.

15 posted on 08/30/2021 1:17:16 PM PDT by ThunderSleeps (Biden/Harris - illegitimate and everyone knows it.)
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To: Red Badger
I was told excessive use of KCl was dangerous and could lead to hyperkalemia. Also for some people KCl tastes unbearably bitter.
16 posted on 08/30/2021 1:18:06 PM PDT by LukeL
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

Did he say why he did not approve salt substitutes?


17 posted on 08/30/2021 1:18:32 PM PDT by Freedom56v2 (Why are the C-17s full of military-aged Afghani men?)
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To: Red Badger

My grandfather used that stuff . Nasty and bitter. Just use less salt, get your potassium from other sources.


18 posted on 08/30/2021 1:18:47 PM PDT by heartwood (Someone has to play devil's advocate other.)
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To: Retrofitted

I like to have many visible flecks in every bite of food. I can see why Europeans traveled thousands of miles to aquire the spice.


19 posted on 08/30/2021 1:20:41 PM PDT by LukeL
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To: rdl6989
I’ve never used a salt substitute.

And yet you're still alive.

That's odd.

20 posted on 08/30/2021 1:24:16 PM PDT by Wissa (Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth. -- Albert Einstein)
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