A peer-reviewed report led by University of Vermont's Naomi Fukagawa argues that eating more potassium alongside less sodium could improve blood pressure control for the 1.28 billion adults living with hypertension.
A new scientific report argues that advice on high blood pressure has focused too narrowly on cutting salt. Published in the peer-reviewed American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and summarized in a University of Vermont release, the report says dietary guidance should give equal emphasis to raising potassium intake. Its first author is Naomi Fukagawa, professor of medicine emerita at the university's Larner College of Medicine, and the work was 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.
The authors reviewed the evidence behind current sodium and potassium recommendations. Sodium can make the body retain fluid and raise pressure inside blood vessels, while potassium helps the kidneys remove excess sodium and supports normal blood vessel function. According to the report, average sodium intake still exceeds recommended levels in many places, while potassium intake remains far below optimal levels in both developed and developing countries. The authors stress that reducing sodium remains a foundational strategy; their proposal is to broaden the approach, not to replace it.
The report also looks at practical routes and obstacles. Potassium is found in fruits, vegetables, legumes and dairy products, and replacing part of the sodium chloride in table salt with potassium salts could help on both fronts, although too much potassium salt can leave a metallic taste that challenges food manufacturers. The authors caution that more potassium is not suitable for everyone: people with kidney disease or those taking certain medications may struggle to regulate potassium, and should use supplements or potassium-based salt substitutes only with medical guidance. As a review of existing evidence rather than a new clinical trial, the report is a call for updated policy and further research, so readers with hypertension should discuss any dietary change with their doctor.
