High blood pressure is one of the most common health problems in the world.
It often develops without obvious symptoms, but over time it can damage blood vessels and increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and other serious conditions.
One important cause of high blood pressure is eating too much sodium, which is found in salt. Many people consume more sodium than recommended because it is added to packaged foods, processed meats, sauces, snacks, takeout meals, and restaurant food.
A study presented at the American Heart Association’s Hypertension Scientific Sessions 2025 suggests that one simple way to reduce sodium is still rarely used. Researchers found that only a small percentage of U.S. adults reported using salt substitutes.
Salt substitutes look and are used much like ordinary table salt, but they replace some sodium chloride with potassium chloride. This can reduce sodium intake while increasing potassium, a mineral that helps the body control blood pressure.
Potassium can help the body remove excess sodium and can support the relaxation of blood vessel walls. For many people, this combination may help bring blood pressure down when used as part of a healthy diet.
The researchers examined information from more than 37,000 U.S. adults. The data came from a large national health survey covering the years 2003 through 2020, allowing the team to examine patterns over a long period.
The results showed that salt-substitute use remained consistently uncommon. Even at its highest level, only about one in 20 adults reported using these products, and use appeared to decline during more recent years included in the study.
This was surprising because people with high blood pressure are often advised to reduce sodium. The researchers also examined groups who could potentially use potassium-containing salt substitutes safely, but use remained low among them.
There may be several reasons for the gap. Some people may simply be unaware that salt substitutes exist, while others may not know that replacing some regular salt with a lower-sodium alternative can help reduce sodium intake.
Taste may also matter. Potassium chloride can taste slightly different from ordinary salt, and people who are accustomed to heavily salted foods may need time to adjust.
Cost, availability, cooking habits, and limited advice from healthcare professionals may also influence whether people try these products. The study itself was not designed to prove exactly why use has remained so low.
There is also an important safety issue. Potassium-containing salt substitutes are not appropriate for everyone because some people have difficulty removing excess potassium from their bodies.
This is especially important for people with certain kidney problems and those taking medicines that can raise potassium levels. Too much potassium in the blood can affect the heart, so people in these groups should speak with a healthcare professional before using potassium-based salt substitutes.
For people who can safely use them, salt substitutes may be one practical tool for reducing sodium. However, simply changing the salt used at the dinner table will not remove all excess sodium because much of it may already be present in processed and restaurant foods.
Reading food labels, choosing lower-sodium products, cooking more meals from basic ingredients, and eating more fruits and vegetables can also help. Regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, limiting alcohol, and taking prescribed medicines when needed remain important parts of blood pressure control.
The study has several strengths, including its large number of participants and its examination of national data across many years. However, information about salt-substitute use was self-reported, and the researchers could not precisely measure how much people used or how regularly they used it.
Because the findings were presented at the American Heart Association’s Hypertension Scientific Sessions 2025, they should also be viewed as conference research unless and until the full study is published in a peer-reviewed journal. Conference findings can provide valuable early evidence, but details may change after further review.
Even with these limitations, the research points to a potentially missed opportunity. For people who can use potassium-containing salt substitutes safely, a small change in the kitchen could become one useful part of a broader plan to lower blood pressure and protect long-term heart health.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies about what to eat and to avoid for high blood pressure, and 12 foods that lower blood pressure.
For more health information, please see recent studies about the connection between potato and high blood pressure, and how to eat your way to healthy blood pressure.
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