PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — There is a link between too much salt in our diet and high blood pressure. This is why some of the most important diets supported by the American Heart Association are based on lowering our daily salt intake.
The issue is too much sodium — a major component of salt. But what about replacing sodium with potassium? In other words, do salt substitutes work?
The answer is yes — and no. The first thing to do is to make sure taking potassium is safe for you. If you have kidney issues or have high potassium levels, this could be an issue. However, studies have shown that salt substitutes can help lower blood pressure across the general population.
Research is still being done to see how effective the substitutes can be in reducing mortality from heart disease.
Get more medical reports from Dr. Brian McDonough.
KYW Newsradio's Medical Reports are sponsored by Independence Blue Cross.
