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Few individuals with hypertension had been utilizing salt substitutes, although they’re a easy and efficient approach to decrease sodium consumption and handle blood strain, in keeping with preliminary analysis offered on the American Coronary heart Affiliation’s Hypertension Scientific Periods 2025, held in Baltimore, September 4–7, 2025.
Hypertension happens when the power of blood flowing by means of the blood vessels is persistently too excessive. Hypertension can result in different severe occasions reminiscent of coronary heart assault and stroke. Utilizing information from 2017 to 2020, 122.4 million (46.7%) adults within the U.S. had hypertension and it contributed to greater than 130,000 deaths. An excessive amount of sodium and too little potassium within the weight-reduction plan are danger components for hypertension.
“Overall, less than 6% of all U.S. adults use salt substitutes, even though they are inexpensive and can be an effective strategy to help people control blood pressure, especially people with difficult-to-treat high blood pressure,” mentioned lead examine writer Yinying Wei, M.C.N., R.D.N., L.D., and Ph.D. candidate within the departments of utilized scientific analysis and hypertension part, cardiology division, at UT Southwestern Medical Heart in Dallas.
“Health care professionals can raise awareness about the safe use of salt substitutes by having conversations with their patients who have persistent or hard-to-manage high blood pressure.”
Salt substitutes are merchandise that change some or the entire sodium with potassium. Potassium salt tastes just like common salt, besides when heated it may possibly have a bitter aftertaste. Many meals comprise some sodium of their pure state, nonetheless, the most important quantity of sodium comes from processed and packaged meals and meals ready at eating places.
The American Coronary heart Affiliation recommends consuming not more than 2,300 mg of sodium a day, with a really perfect restrict of lower than 1,500 mg per day for many adults, particularly for these with hypertension. For most individuals, reducing again by 1,000 mg a day can enhance blood strain and coronary heart well being.
This examine is the primary to look at long-term developments in salt substitute use amongst a nationally consultant pattern of U.S. adults. Utilizing information from the Nationwide Well being and Vitamin Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2003 to 2020, researchers analyzed the usage of merchandise that change salt with potassium-enriched or different various salts.
The investigation centered on individuals with hypertension, and a further evaluation was carried out amongst adults eligible to make use of salt substitutes, together with individuals with regular kidney perform and people not taking drugs or dietary supplements that have an effect on blood potassium ranges.
Some salt substitutes comprise potassium, they usually can increase blood potassium to harmful ranges in individuals with kidney illness or these taking sure drugs or potassium dietary supplements.
Extreme potassium can result in irregular coronary heart rhythms. Individuals with hypertension who’re enthusiastic about switching from common salt to a salt substitute ought to first seek the advice of with a well being care skilled.
The evaluation discovered:
General, salt substitute use amongst all U.S. adults remained low, peaking at 5.4% in 2013–2014 earlier than falling to 2.5% by 2017–March 2020. Knowledge assortment for 2020 stopped earlier than March due to the pandemic.
Amongst adults eligible to make use of salt substitutes, solely 2.3% to five.1% did so.
Utilization was highest in individuals with hypertension whose BP was managed with drugs (3.6%–10.5%), adopted by these with hypertension whose BP was not managed regardless of drugs (3.7%–7.4%).
Salt substitute use remained persistently lower than 5.6% amongst individuals with untreated hypertension and for individuals with regular blood strain.
Adults who ate at eating places three or extra instances per week appeared much less possible to make use of salt substitutes in comparison with those that ate out much less typically, however this distinction was not statistically vital after accounting for age, race/ethnicity, training stage and insurance coverage standing.
“Salt substitute use remained uncommon over the last two decades, including among people with high blood pressure,” Wei mentioned. “Even among individuals with treated and poorly managed or untreated high blood pressure, most continued to use regular salt.”
“This study highlights an important and easy missed opportunity to improve blood pressure in the U.S.—the use of salt substitutes,” mentioned Amit Khera, M.D., M.Sc., FAHA, an American Coronary heart Affiliation volunteer knowledgeable.
“The fact that the use of salt substitutes remains so low and has not improved in two decades is eye-opening and reminds patients and health care professionals to discuss the use of these substitutes, particularly in visits focused on high blood pressure.”
Khera, who was not concerned on this examine, is a professor of drugs, scientific chief of cardiology and director of preventive cardiology at UT Southwestern Medical Heart in Dallas.
The examine has a number of limitations. First, details about salt substitute use was self-reported, so there could have been underreporting or misclassification. As well as, all forms of salt substitutes had been included within the evaluation, subsequently, the evaluation couldn’t particularly separate potassium-enriched salt from different forms of salt substitutes. Lastly, the survey information didn’t seize how a lot salt substitute the individuals used.
“Future research should explore why salt substitute use remains low by investigating potential barriers, such as taste acceptance, cost and limited awareness among both patients and clinicians,” mentioned Wei. “These insights may help guide more targeted interventions.”
Examine particulars, background and design:
The evaluation included 37,080 adults, ages 18 and older (37.9% had been aged 18–39, 36.9% had been aged 40–59 years, and 25.2% had been aged 60 and older). 50.6% of individuals had been girls, 10.7% of individuals self-reported their race as non-Hispanic Black, and 89.3% self-reported they had been from different racial and ethnic teams.
Contributors had been categorized into 4 subgroups based mostly on presence or absence of hypertension (≥130/80 mm Hg) and whether or not they had been utilizing blood strain decreasing remedy: 1) hypertension that was handled and managed; 2) hypertension that was handled and never managed; 3) untreated hypertension; and 4) these with regular blood strain.
Salt varieties had been labeled as bizarre salt (iodized salt, sea salt, kosher salt), salt substitute (potassium-enriched or different salt substitute) and no salt use.
An extra evaluation was carried out on a subgroup of people eligible to make use of salt substitutes—these with wholesome kidney perform (estimated glomerular filtration fee ≥ 60) and never taking drugs or dietary supplements that have an effect on blood potassium ranges.
The frequency of consuming at eating places to evaluate its affect on salt substitute use was additionally evaluated.
All analyses integrated NHANES sampling weights and sophisticated survey design.
Offered by
American Coronary heart Affiliation
Quotation:
U.S. survey finds salt substitutes hardly ever utilized by individuals with hypertension (2025, September 4)
retrieved 4 September 2025
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