Experts say high blood pressure guidelines are missing half the equation
Scientists are calling for a major rethink of how we manage high blood pressure, suggesting that eating more potassium could be just as important as cutting back on salt. A new report finds that combining increased potassium intake with reduced sodium consumption may offer greater benefits for blood pressure control than sodium reduction alone.
Key points
- A new report says blood pressure advice should pair sodium reduction with higher potassium intake.
- Hypertension affects more than 1.28 billion adults worldwide and raises heart attack and stroke risk.
- Potassium-rich foods include bananas, potatoes, beans, leafy greens and yogurt, and potassium-based salt substitutes are another option.
A new scientific report argues that decades of advice to simply eat less salt may address only part of the problem of high blood pressure. The authors say increasing potassium intake alongside cutting sodium could improve blood pressure control and help prevent hypertension and serious cardiovascular problems.
The report was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and supported by the IAFNS Sodium in Food and Health Implications Committee. Hypertension affects more than 1.28 billion adults worldwide and is a major risk factor for heart attacks and strokes.
How the two minerals work
Sodium and potassium are essential minerals that help regulate fluid balance, nerve signaling and muscle function, and both influence blood pressure in different ways. Too much sodium can cause the body to retain fluid and raise pressure inside blood vessels, while potassium helps the kidneys remove excess sodium through urine and supports normal blood vessel walls.
The authors say many people consume too much sodium while getting far below optimal potassium levels, a pattern seen in both developed and developing nations. They propose combining sodium reduction with greater potassium consumption rather than treating salt cutting as the main solution.
Growing evidence shows that increasing dietary potassium as well as reducing sodium intake work together to better manage hypertension.
— Naomi Fukagawa
Foods and practical challenges
Potassium occurs naturally in fruits, vegetables, legumes and dairy products, including bananas, potatoes, beans, leafy greens and yogurt. Replacing some sodium chloride in table salt with potassium salts is another option, though manufacturers face limits because too much potassium salt can leave a metallic taste.
The authors note that extra potassium is not suitable for everyone: people with kidney disease or those taking certain medications may have trouble regulating potassium, so supplements and potassium-based salt substitutes should be used with medical guidance in those cases. They stress that reducing sodium remains essential and describe it as a foundational strategy, while calling for equal emphasis on potassium.
