# Potassium-enriched salt could prevent nearly 3 million deaths a year, study finds

> A modelling study across 193 countries suggests that a simple change to the salt we use could spare millions of lives and head off many cases of heart and kidney disease.

- Published: 2026-11-04 by Tickety-Boo News
- Section: Health
- Location: Global
- Web page: https://ticketyboonews.co.uk/stories/potassium-enriched-salt-could-prevent-nearly-3-million-deaths-a-year/
- Original report: [A healthier form of salt could prevent millions of deaths from stroke and heart disease](https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-11-healthier-salt-millions-deaths-heart.html) (Medical Xpress)

## In brief

- A study of 193 countries modelled switching regular salt for potassium-enriched salt, published in Nature Health.
- A full switch could prevent nearly 3 million deaths and 10 million new disease cases each year.
- Benefits outweighed risks even in advanced kidney disease, though precautions and clinical oversight are advised.

A modelling study covering 193 countries suggests that swapping ordinary salt for a potassium-enriched version could spare close to 3 million lives every year. It could also stop around 10 million fresh cases of cardiovascular and kidney disease annually. The work comes from The George Institute for Global Health and is published in Nature Health.

Potassium-enriched salt replaces a portion of the sodium chloride in standard table salt with potassium chloride. In the kitchen and at the table, it behaves and tastes like the regular product. The World Health Organization endorsed it in 2025 as a way of lowering blood pressure and the risk of cardiovascular disease.

The researchers worked through a series of hypothetical scenarios. These ranged from every household and food producer changing over, to a narrower move in which only people diagnosed with and treated for high blood pressure make the switch. Even the narrowest option brought sizeable gains. Under the broadest change, Professor Bruce Neal said, up to a tenth of cardiovascular deaths could be prevented in most countries.

The logic is neat. Too much sodium and too little potassium both push blood pressure upwards, and high blood pressure is a major risk factor for strokes, heart attacks and kidney disease. One product tackles both problems together. Professor Neal added that the potential is far greater, and the cost far lower, than with many drug-based treatments.

There is a caution for people with advanced kidney disease, who can be vulnerable to high potassium levels in the blood. The study found that the benefits still outweighed the risks even for this group. Nephrologist Vivek Jha, of The George Institute in India, said that people with serious kidney disease, and those taking medicines that markedly raise potassium, should take care. He said education, clear labelling and clinical oversight can manage the risk well.

The team also stressed that each country will need its own approach, depending on whether most sodium comes from the salt shaker or from manufactured food. In Europe and North America, more than 70% of salt intake comes from processed and restaurant meals, so the food industry would have to play its part. Scaling up potassium chloride production to meet demand would be no mean feat and needs further investigation. Professor Neal described a worldwide switch as aspirational.

## Why it matters

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death and disability worldwide, responsible for 19.2 million deaths in 2023, and roughly 1.4 billion adults live with high blood pressure. A low-cost, familiar food swap that needs no change in cooking habits could be a welcome boost for health systems that cannot afford to rely on medication alone. Turning the promise into reality will depend on governments, manufacturers and sensible guidance for those at risk.