Millions of people are eating too much salt. Could potassium be the solution?
Lisa Sheehan
I have high blood pressure and have been taking medication to control it for years. My blood pressure recently spiked again, so my doctor tweaked my prescription. But I’ve been addressing the issue myself, limiting my salt intake, and self-medicating a bit with over-the-counter supplements. My blood pressure is under control again.
You might think that the medication and salt victimization would have helped — they definitely played a role — but it might actually have been my supplement of choice: potassium.
High blood pressure is the leading cause of death in the world. There is little doubt that excessive salt (sodium chloride) in the diet raises blood pressure, and while most people would benefit from eating less, many of us struggle to do so. We urgently need a better solution, and there is growing evidence that potassium may be the answer.
“Potassium is really important.” Bruce Neal “There’s no doubt that potassium lowers blood pressure,” say researchers at the George Institute for Global Health in Sydney, Australia.
Understanding exactly how salt works, how much we should consume, and how it affects blood pressure is of growing interest to researchers, who are realizing that salt could have a major impact on the global fight against cardiovascular disease. Could we finally have found a tastier way to satisfy our salt cravings without harming our bodies?
Source: www.newscientist.com
