Switching to potassium-enriched salt could prevent millions of global deaths

Researchers from The George Institute for International Well being assessed the well being advantages of switching the salt provide to potassium-enriched salt throughout 193 international locations. They discovered virtually three million deaths and ten million new circumstances of cardiovascular and kidney illness may very well be prevented globally annually.

Bruce Neal, Senior Professorial Fellow at The George Institute mentioned the well being good points could be widespread and will avert as many as one in ten cardiovascular deaths in most international locations.

Consuming an excessive amount of sodium and never sufficient potassium are effectively established causes of hypertension – a serious danger issue for all times threatening situations like strokes, coronary heart assaults and kidney illness. Switching to potassium-enriched salt addresses each these dietary points on the identical time, with substantial well being advantages.

Whereas a worldwide shift from common salt to a potassium-enriched substitute is asprational, it is a place to begin to get international locations interested by the chance – with a lot higher potential and at mcuh decrease value than many drug-based remedies.”

Bruce Neal, Senior Professorial Fellow, The George Institute

Potassium-enriched salt is made by changing a few of the sodium chloride – which makes up common desk salt – with potassium chloride. It appears to be like, tastes, and cooks like common salt. In 2025, the World Well being Group (WHO) endorsed using potassium-enriched salt to cut back blood stress and the chance of heart problems.

Worldwide, one in three adults aged 30-79 have hypertension (hypertension), equal to round 1.4 billion folks. Heart problems (CVD) is the main explanation for loss of life and incapacity globally, inflicting 19.2 million deaths in 2023, a rise of practically 50 p.c during the last 30 years.

The research examined a variety of hypothetical situations, from a full international swap of all salt to extra focused use amongst folks with identified and handled hypertension. Even probably the most restricted stage of switching nonetheless confirmed main well being good points.

For the world’s grownup inhabitants (4.6 billion folks):

Extent of swap
Deaths prevented (tens of millions)
CVD and CKD circumstances prevented (tens of millions)


Solely common desk salt used within the dwelling
1.85
6.19


Solely salt in processed and restaurant meals
1.56
5.46


Each the above
2.96
10.17

For 80% of individuals with identified or handled hypertension solely (659 million folks identified, 524 million folks handled):

Extent of swap
Deaths prevented (tens of millions)
CVD and CKD* circumstances prevented (tens of millions)


Solely common desk salt used within the dwelling by folks with identified hypertension
0.59
1.72


Solely common desk salt used within the dwelling by folks with handled hypertension
0.48
1.41

Whereas the potential advantages are giant, one concern is the chance of excessive potassium ranges (hyperkalaemia) in folks with superior kidney illness. The research discovered, nonetheless, that even amongst sufferers with superior kidney illness the advantages outweighed the dangers.

“Folks with critical kidney illness and people taking medicines that considerably elevate blood potassium ranges must take precautions. Dangers for this group might be managed successfully by affected person schooling, product labelling, and medical oversight,” mentioned nephrologist Professor Vivek Jha, Senior Professorial Fellow at The George Institute in India.

Professor Neal highlighted the necessity for country-specific methods, tailor-made as to whether most sodium consumption comes from family salt or processed meals.

“To grasp the utmost advantages from switching to potassium-enriched salt, we have to see the meals business in Europe and North America – the place over 70% of salt consumption comes from processed and restaurant meals – get on board. This is able to additionally require investigating methods to scale up the manufacturing of potassium chloride to satisfy demand,” he mentioned.

Estimated annual well being influence of changing all salt with potassium-enriched salt:

Nation
Annual deaths prevented
Instances of heart problems and kidney illness prevented/12 months
Complete deadly and non-fatal occasions prevented


China
1,082,666
3,614,123
4,696,789


India
399,884
1,528,494
1,928,378


USA
104,787
491,905
596,692


Mexico
30,464
138,546
169,010


Nigeria
18,069
59,348
77,417


United Kingdom
12,951
59,988
72,939


South Africa
6,761
22,955
29,716


Australia
2,076
15,674
17,750