Potassium-Sodium Strategy Could Redefine Hypertension Fight

A perspective in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition argues for a paradigm shift in hypertension prevention: boosting dietary potassium while reducing sodium can more effectively control blood pressure than sodium reduction alone, supported by evidence on potassium’s independent BP-lowering effect and the renal potassium switch; it recommends targeting sodium-to-potassium ratios in food reformulation, expanding education on potassium-rich foods, and policies to improve access to such foods, with potassium-enriched salt substitutes as a near-term option (not for those with kidney disease), while sodium reduction remains foundational.