The recommendation follows growing scientific evidence suggesting that combining lower sodium intake with higher potassium consumption could provide better protection against hypertension and related cardiovascular complications than focusing mainly on salt reduction.
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, affects more than 1.28 billion adults worldwide and remains one of the leading risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, including heart attacks and strokes. Despite decades of public health campaigns encouraging people to reduce salt consumption, researchers say inadequate potassium intake is another major dietary concern that deserves greater attention.
In a report published in the peer-reviewed American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, physicians and nutrition experts argued that dietary interventions should consider how different nutrients interact in the body rather than treating sodium reduction as the principal approach to controlling blood pressure.
Naomi Fukagawa, professor emerita of medicine at the Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine, University of Vermont, and the report's first author, said the relationship between the two minerals underscores the need for a more comprehensive approach to dietary recommendations.
"It is time to view dietary interventions holistically because food components interact and physiology is integrative across systems," Fukagawa said.
She added that "growing evidence shows that increasing dietary potassium as well as reducing sodium intake work together to better manage hypertension."
Why the balance between sodium and potassium matters
Sodium and potassium are essential minerals that support several important bodily functions, including fluid regulation, nerve signalling and muscle activity. However, their individual effects on blood pressure differ.
Excessive sodium consumption encourages the body to retain water, increasing blood volume and placing additional pressure on blood vessel walls. Potassium, on the other hand, helps the kidneys eliminate excess sodium through urine, thereby reducing some of the effects associated with high salt consumption.
The mineral also supports the normal functioning of blood vessels, contributing to the regulation of blood pressure.
According to the researchers, the imbalance between sodium and potassium consumption is a significant contributor to the global burden of hypertension. While many people consume sodium well above recommended levels, their potassium intake frequently falls short of what the body needs.
The report noted that potassium consumption remains "far below optimal levels in both developed and developing nations."
The researchers, therefore, believe that public health campaigns should go beyond advising people to eat less salt and place greater emphasis on foods that naturally provide potassium.
Experts examine gaps in existing dietary recommendations
The report, supported by the IAFNS Sodium in Food and Health Implications Committee, reviewed scientific evidence informing existing sodium and potassium recommendations.
It also considered practical approaches to reducing sodium consumption while improving potassium intake, alongside the challenges that could affect the implementation of such dietary changes.
Among the issues examined were food production practices, consumer acceptance, the need for further scientific investigations and opportunities for governments and public health authorities to update existing nutritional policies.
The researchers maintained that addressing both minerals simultaneously could offer a more effective strategy for preventing and managing hypertension.
They argued that concentrating mainly on reducing sodium risks overlooking the potential cardiovascular benefits of increasing potassium consumption.
Foods that can help increase potassium intake
Potassium is naturally available in several everyday foods, making dietary adjustments a practical way for many people to improve their intake.
Fruits, vegetables, legumes and dairy products are among the major food sources of the mineral. Bananas, potatoes, beans, leafy green vegetables and yoghurt are examples of foods that can contribute to adequate potassium consumption.
Another approach highlighted in the report is the use of potassium-based salt substitutes.
These products replace some of the sodium chloride found in ordinary table salt with potassium salts. This allows consumers to reduce sodium intake while increasing potassium consumption at the same time.
However, the researchers acknowledged that producing acceptable alternatives presents challenges for food manufacturers.
One major concern is taste, as excessive potassium salts can produce a metallic flavour that may make food less appealing to consumers. Manufacturers must therefore find ways to improve the nutritional composition of these products without compromising their taste and overall quality.
The researchers also cautioned that increasing potassium intake may not be suitable for everyone.
Individuals living with kidney disease and those taking certain medications may have difficulty regulating potassium levels in their bodies. For such people, excessive potassium consumption could pose health risks.
They advised that potassium supplements and potassium-based salt substitutes should be used under medical guidance where these concerns apply.
A broader approach to hypertension prevention
While advocating greater potassium consumption, the researchers stressed that reducing sodium remains an important part of blood pressure management.
Their recommendation is not intended to replace existing salt-reduction guidelines but to expand them by giving potassium intake comparable attention.
In their conclusion, the authors stated that "dietary sodium reduction is a foundational strategy for hypertension prevention and management. However, new evidence supports a broadening of the current approach that focuses solely on sodium reduction and provides equal emphasis on increasing potassium intake."
For the more than one billion people affected by hypertension globally, the proposed shift could influence future dietary guidelines and public health strategies.
The central message is that managing blood pressure may require a better balance of essential nutrients rather than concentrating exclusively on eliminating certain foods or ingredients.
By reducing excessive salt consumption while incorporating more potassium-rich foods into everyday meals, individuals may be able to strengthen their efforts to maintain healthy blood pressure and lower their risk of cardiovascular complications.