Replacing regular salt with a potassium-fortified alternative could prevent nearly three million deaths and 10 million new cases of cardiovascular and kidney disease worldwide each year, according to a new study.
Researchers at the George Institute for Global Health examined what would happen by replacing regular salt with potassium-fortified salt in 193 countries and found that even a partial change could provide significant health benefits.
Bruce Neal, senior professor at the George Institute, said the change could prevent up to one in ten cardiovascular deaths in most countries.
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“Consuming too much sodium and not enough potassium are well-established causes of high blood pressure – a major risk factor for life-threatening illnesses like stroke, heart attack and kidney disease. Switching to potassium-fortified salt addresses both of these dietary problems at the same time, with substantial health benefits,” he said in a statement released with the study.
Potassium-enriched salt is made by replacing part of the sodium chloride present in regular salt with potassium chloride. It looks, tastes and cooks the same as regular salt.
Dr. May Bakir, founder and triple board-certified cardiologist of InfiniteHeart Health, who was not involved in the study, said: News week that replacing a little sodium with potassium works in two ways: “Less sodium means the body retains less fluid. More potassium, which is probably the most important factor, helps the kidneys eliminate sodium and relaxes the signals of increased blood pressure.”
She added that blood pressure usually begins to drop within a few weeks, and trials have measured significant reductions within one to three months.
In 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) approved potassium-fortified salt as a way to reduce blood pressure and the risk of cardiovascular disease.
About one in three adults aged 30 to 79 worldwide, or about 1.4 billion people, have high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death and disability worldwide.
Researchers looked at several possible scenarios, including replacing all common salt used in homes and processed foods, as well as more targeted approaches for people with diagnosed or treated high blood pressure.
The greatest benefits have come from replacing household salt and salt used in processed and restaurant foods.
However, researchers have acknowledged that potassium-enriched salt may carry risks for people with advanced kidney disease.
Nephrologist Professor Vivek Jha, senior professor at the George Institute in India, said precautions would be important for certain groups.
“People with severe kidney disease and those taking medications that significantly increase blood potassium levels should take precautions. The risks for this group can be managed effectively through patient education, product labeling and clinical monitoring,” he said in a statement released with the study.
Bakir said people with moderate to advanced chronic kidney disease or those on dialysis should talk to their doctor before making the switch. She also cautioned against people taking potassium supplements or medications that could increase potassium levels.
The researchers also highlighted the importance of adapting strategies to different countries.
Neal said: “To get the most out of the switch to potassium-enriched salt, we need to see the food industry in Europe and North America – where more than 70 per cent of salt intake comes from processed foods and restaurants – get involved. It would also require studying ways to increase potassium chloride production to meet demand.
Neal said News week Widespread adoption is unlikely to happen overnight, but it is far more plausible than the current strategy of getting people to reduce the amount of salt they consume, which neither individuals nor food companies will do, he said, because it results in a less salty taste.
“The biggest barrier right now is awareness: clinicians don’t know how to recommend it and people don’t know how to use it,” he said.
Another major barrier, according to Neal, is cost. He explained that although potassium-fortified salt is an inexpensive product, it is still more expensive than regular salt, which could discourage food manufacturers from making the change.
“We need innovation and increased production to bring the price of potassium-enriched salt down to that of the cheapest regular salt for widespread industry adoption. Or governments must mandate corporate use, as many have done for iodized salt,” he said.
Reference:
Neal et al. Global health outcomes associated with replacing dietary sodium chloride with potassium-enriched salt. Nature Health
DOI: 10.1038/s44360-026-00216-9
Contact Newsweek editors about this story: Kara Dolman, Gray R.Thomas
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