Salt substitutes may help reduce risk of premature death – study

Avoiding salt and using its substitutes reduce the risk of early death

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Reducing salt in the diet and using salt substitutes can significantly reduce the risk of premature deathin particular from cardiovascular diseases.

Researchers analyzed the results of 16 studies, which studied the effect of salt substitutes on the health of 35 thousand people with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Study participants used salt substitutes instead of regular salt for a certain period of time, writes CNN.

The researchers compared the use of regular salt, which consists of about 100% sodium chloride, sometimes with added iodine, with the use of a salt substitute, which consists of 25-30% potassium chloride and 60-75% sodium chloride.

“We are pleased to be able to provide evidence that long-term use (up to 10 years) of salt substitutes is effective in improving cardiovascular function,” said Dr. Loay Albarquni, associate professor at the Institute of Evidence-Based Medicine at Bond University in Australia.

The research was conducted at China, Great Britain, Taiwan, Peru, the Netherlands and Norway.

With two-thirds of the results coming from China, the authors were surprised by how little research on salt substitutes has been done outside of Asian countries.

“This is why we rate the level of evidence for the Western population as ‘low to very low’ – there is simply not enough data to confirm that salt replacement will be as effective in Western countries.” Albarkuni noted.

Salt replacement also reduced urinary sodium and blood pressure. This is how blood pressure medications work, the authors of the study found. According to Albarquni, this may explain the reduced risk of death.

The authors acknowledge that in the studies, some salt substitutes were not tested, and some were purchased by the participants themselves rather than using those provided by the researchers.

“And although potassium is useful, any salt, regardless of whether it is sodium, potassium or magnesium chloride, is still salt. And the best way to get this trace element for the body is to eat fruits and vegetables – that’s where it is most abundant.” said Andrew Freeman, cardiologist and director of cardiovascular disease prevention and wellness at National Jewish Health in Denver.

The American Heart Association recommends consuming no more than 2,300 milligrams of salt per day, and ideally 1,500.

“If you buy most of your food ready-made or order from a restaurant, there is a risk that you are consuming too much salt.

There are several physical signs that you may be eating too much sodium, such as bloating or swelling, fatigue, high blood pressure, increased thirst and/or urination,” – explained Dr. Loay Albarkuni.

Scientists also emphasized: reducing your salt intake is just one step to reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease without medication. It is important to eat healthy, quit smoking and exercise.

“Salt substitutes are not a ‘panacea’. But they can help in recovery from heart disease”, – the scientists noted.

The authors acknowledged that more research is needed to determine whether salt replacement is safe for patients “sensitive to manipulation of trace elements,” particularly potassium (patients with renal failure).

We will remind, scientists discovered two types of bacteria in the gut that lower cholesterol.