Beneath is an approximation of this video’s audio content material. To see any graphs, charts, graphics, pictures, and quotes to which Dr. Greger could also be referring, watch the above video.
Of all of the horrible issues about our diets, excessive dietary sodium consumption, excessive salt consumption, is the main threat, estimated to be inflicting hundreds of thousands of deaths yearly––killing hundreds of thousands primarily by way of hostile results on blood strain and elevated threat of stroke, coronary heart assault, and kidney injury. Hypertension—hypertension––continues to be referred to as the “silent and invisible killer” as a result of it not often causes signs, however is without doubt one of the strongest unbiased predictors of a few of our main causes of demise.
We advanced consuming a weight loss program very wealthy in potassium and low in sodium. However as we speak, this sample has been utterly reversed. This flip reflects a shift from conventional plant-based diets excessive in potassium and low in sodium––a shift from fruits and greens, roots, and tubers to salty processed meals stripped of potassium, which is taken into account a “nutrient of public well being concern” as a result of 98 % of the U.S. inhabitants doesn’t even attain the beneficial minimal day by day consumption of potassium, as I discussed in my final video. And, low potassium consumption itself is implicated in hypertension and heart problems. But few physicians really take into consideration proposing their sufferers eat extra meals which might be excessive in potassium, like vegatables and fruits, to raised management blood strain––regardless that a number of meta-analyses have now confirmed that top potassium consumption seems to scale back the chance of stroke.
There’s even a discount in stroke threat unbiased of blood strain results, in step with different protecting results of potassium, similar to lowering clot formation, lowering hardening of the arteries, lowering the era of free radicals. Increased sodium consumption is related to a 20 % elevated threat of dying prematurely, the place greater potassium consumption was related to a 20 % decreased threat of dying prematurely. Yeah, however sodium is present in crappy processed meals, whereas potassium is concentrated in wholesome meals like beans and greens. So, having low sodium consumption and excessive potassium consumption may be a marker for a more healthy weight loss program—extra plant meals and fewer crap.
How do we all know sodium is cause-and-effect dangerous? As a result of randomized managed trials present sodium discount results in blood strain discount, similar to there are randomized managed trials exhibiting that should you give individuals further potassium, you possibly can convey down blood pressures as effectively. So, what about utilizing potassium chloride to salt your meals, relatively than sodium chloride? That’s what’s present in these zero sodium salt substitutes.
Potassium chloride is a naturally occurring mineral salt, which is obtained the identical manner we get common sodium salt. Since we get an excessive amount of sodium and never sufficient potassium, this would appear to make potassium chloride a win-win resolution.
Now, complete wholesome plant meals could be one of the best ways to extend potassium consumption. Vegetables and fruit have all kinds of different good issues in them in addition to potassium, however now we have 10 research now, randomized managed trials, exhibiting that simply swapping in some potassium chloride for normal salt can result in vital reductions in blood strain in individuals with hypertension––suggesting that salt substitutes could even assist stop hypertension as effectively. We all know that salt substitutes can decrease blood strain, however does it really lower the incidence of hypertension, and extra importantly, illness endpoints like stroke and mortality? You don’t know, till you place it to the take a look at.
In a randomized managed trial, households had their salt changed with only a quarter potassium chloride. At that degree, most individuals both can’t inform the distinction, and even choose the salt with the potassium blended in. Okay, however did it really do any good? Using even the quarter salt substitute was related to slicing the chance of creating hypertension in half.
Okay, however what about really following individuals out to see if there’s any change within the threat of dying from heart problems? 5 kitchens in a veterans’ retirement residence have been randomized into two teams for about two and a half years, salting meals with common salt or, unbeknownst to the cooks and the diners, a 50/50 mix of potassium chloride. These within the half-potassium group reduce their threat of dying from heart problems by about 40 %, and lived as much as practically a yr longer. The life expectancy distinction at age 70 was equal to that which might have naturally occurred in 14 years––which means that simply switching to half potassium salt appeared to successfully make individuals greater than a decade youthful when it got here to threat of demise. As we communicate, there’s a huge randomized managed trial wrapping up in China, involving 600 villages and greater than 20,000 individuals, that may give us an concept of simply how low we will drop stroke threat with this technique.
China is ideal, as a result of as much as 75 % of their sodium consumption comes from salt they add within the residence kitchen or eating room, whereas most sodium within the American weight loss program comes prepackaged within the meat and processed meals we purchase––although actually the meals corporations may swap over themselves. Why haven’t they? And why haven’t extra individuals embraced these salt substitutes, in the event that they work effectively and might style simply nearly as good? We could possibly be “Reaching the Benefits of a Excessive-Potassium Paleolithic Food plan—With out the Toxicity.” So, “Is salt substitution prepared for prime time or what?” What about security? Sure, there are convincing arguments about the advantages, however what in regards to the dangers, like you understand, the quote-unquote “inclusion of doubtless deadly salt substitutes within the meals provide.” Wait, what? We’ll speak in regards to the potential downsides, subsequent.
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