Replacing regular table salt with potassium-enriched alternatives could prevent nearly 105,000 deaths annually in the United States and approximately 3 million worldwide, according to a modeling study published November 4 in Nature Health.
Researchers at The George Institute for Global Health modeled potential outcomes across 193 countries using a blend containing 75% sodium chloride and 25% potassium chloride. They estimated that replacing all salt could also prevent more than 10 million new cases of heart and kidney disease annually.
The projected benefits varied by adoption. Replacing only salt used at home could prevent 1.85 million deaths annually worldwide; limiting that change to people diagnosed with high blood pressure could prevent 590,000 deaths. The authors cautioned that their estimates depend on assumptions and older data, and widespread implementation would take years.
Potassium helps the kidneys remove sodium and can lower blood pressure. A 2021 trial involving about 21,000 people in rural China found lower risks of stroke, cardiovascular events and early death among participants using potassium-enriched salt. The World Health Organization endorsed these substitutes in a 2025 guideline.
However, the products are not suitable for everyone. People with kidney disease or taking medications that affect potassium should consult a healthcare professional before use. Impaired kidney function can allow potassium to accumulate, potentially causing dangerous blood levels and increasing cardiac arrest risk.
In the United States, major grocery chains sell both sodium and potassium blends and sodium-free substitutes. Formulations differ from the blend modeled in the study, and potassium-enriched salt typically costs about twice as much as regular salt.
Household substitutions also address only part of sodium consumption. According to the American Heart Association, more than 70% of Americans’ sodium intake comes from processed and restaurant foods, limiting how much individuals can change through the salt shaker alone without broader dietary changes.