High table salt consumption is associated with elevated blood pressure and an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes
Women who eat potassium-rich foods like bananas and avocados can reduce the negative effects of too much salt in their diets. This is according to a study published in the European Heart Journal. The research shows that potassium-rich diets lower blood pressure in women with a high salt intake.
“High consumption of table salt is associated with elevated blood pressure and an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes,” says nephrologist-internist Liffert Vogt of Amsterdam UMC. “Health advice is therefore aimed at limiting salt intake. But this is not feasible as long as food often contains processed products that contain a lot of salt. Our research shows that a potassium-rich diet reduces the adverse effects of too much salt intake. This is because potassium increases the excretion of salt via the kidneys. This health benefit is greatest in women.”
Less effect in men
The researchers analyzed the association between potassium intake and blood pressure, after adjusting for age, gender and salt intake. In women, an increase in potassium consumption (in grams per day) showed a decrease in blood pressure. The relationship between potassium and blood pressure was only observed in women who ate a lot of salt. In addition, each gram of daily intake of potassium resulted in a decrease in upper pressure of 2.4 mmHg. In men, a smaller association between potassium and blood pressure was shown.
19 years of research
The research was conducted by PhD student Rosa Wouda, cardiologist Matthijs Boekholdt and nephrologist Liffert Vogt, all of whom work at Amsterdam UMC. The study involved 24,963 participants (11,267 men and 13,696 women). The mean age was 59 years for men and 58 years for women. The participants completed a lifestyle questionnaire, blood pressure was measured and a urine sample was collected. Sodium (table salt is sodium chloride) and potassium in the urine were measured to estimate daily intake. After a follow-up of approximately 19.5 years, 13,596 (55%) of the participants were found to have been hospitalized or to have died from the consequences of cardiovascular disease. The researchers analyzed the link between potassium intake and cardiovascular disease. Overall, people with the highest urinary potassium levels had a 13% lower risk of cardiovascular disease. When men and women were analyzed separately, the risk reductions were 7% and 11%, respectively.
Advice for improving health
Professor Vogt: “The results show that potassium helps to keep the heart and blood vessels healthy, but that it benefits women more than men. Although to a lesser extent, a protective effect was also seen in men, but this was not related to blood pressure or to table salt consumption. That suggests that potassium protects the heart in a different way in men. This deserves further investigation. For now, our findings indicate that a heart-healthy diet goes beyond just limiting table salt, increasing potassium levels also contributes to health. Food companies can help by swapping sodium-based salt for potassium as standard in their products. More importantly, we should all prioritize fresh, unprocessed foods because they are low in salt, but high in potassium.”
Less table salt
In his inaugural address at the beginning of this year, the new professor of Clinical Kidney Diseases and Renal Physiology Liffert Vogt called on healthy food with less table salt to be made cheaper. This is especially important now because, due to rising inflation, healthy food has become relatively the most expensive. Increasing the visibility of healthy snacks and healthy takeaway meals in public spaces, such as in shopping streets and stations, is urgently needed. The food industry should also make an effort to implement the 2015 Healthy Diet guideline. He also calls on scientists to strongly improve the quality of research into healthy food, such as reducing the use of table salt. Too often poorly conducted research into table salt is used as an argument for not adjusting the amount of table salt in foods.
Read the scientific article in the European Heart Journal
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