The Study
The contribution of sodium reduction and potassium increase to the blood pressure lowering observed in the Salt Substitute and Stroke Study
This study didn't test people or change their salt — it used math to guess how much of the blood pressure drop was from less sodium and how much from more potassium. It's like guessing how much of your ice cream melt was from the sun and how much from the spoon — you don't know for sure, and your guess could be way off.
Analysis score
Maximum 0 for a computational/algorithm study.
Where the score came from
Scientists tested if lowering salt or adding potassium made blood pressure drop more in a big study. They used math to guess how much each part helped.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 50 / 100
Quality score
Based on clinical experience or non-systematic literature reviews. The lowest level of evidence as they are most susceptible to bias and personal perspective.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — a 3.3 mmHg drop is meaningful and linked to fewer strokes and heart attacks in the original trial.
- 2Blood pressure dropped by 3.3 mmHg.
- 3Adding potassium (20.6 mmol more) likely caused most of it.
- 4Cutting sodium (15.2 mmol less) only helped 12% to 39%.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Journal of Human Hypertension
Year
2024
Authors
Liping Huang, Qiang Li, J. Wu, M. Tian, Xuejun Yin, Jie Yu, Yishu Liu, Xinyi Zhang, Yangfeng Wu, Ellie Paige, K. Trieu, Matti Marklund, Anthony Rodgers, Bruce Neal
Related Content
Claims (6)
If you swap out regular table salt for a special salt that has less sodium and more potassium, it might help you have fewer strokes, heart problems, and even live longer — plus it could gently lower your blood pressure.
If you eat more potassium-rich foods and less salty food, your blood pressure might drop by about 3.3 mmHg—and most of that drop probably comes from eating more potassium, not less salt.
Scientists tried to figure out how much of the blood pressure drop in a big study was due to eating less salt versus eating more potassium — and they found it’s hard to say exactly how much each one helped, because the numbers varied a lot depending on how they did the math.
When people used a special salt substitute with less sodium and more potassium, their blood pressure dropped more than scientists expected just from lowering salt — suggesting the extra potassium might be helping out in a way that’s more than just adding two effects together.
When people ate more potassium, their blood pressure went down a little—but the amount it dropped varied a lot depending on which study you looked at, so we’re not sure exactly how much potassium helps lower blood pressure.
Using salt with more potassium might lower blood pressure the most in people who usually eat very little potassium but a lot of salt—like some adults living in rural China.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.