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Study finds small changes in how much sodium you eat help reduce heart attacks, strokes, premature death

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Published  August 30, 2021 6:02pm EDT
Health Works sponsored by Henry Ford Health Systems
FOX 2 Detroit

Study finds simple changes to salt habits have big impact

Reducing how much salt you eat can drop your chances of having a stroke or heart attack.

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Just cutting back your salt intake a bit could help lessen your chances of suffering a heart attack or stroke.

A Chinese study found that people who used a salt substitute that contained 25% less sodium than regular salt saw a decline in strokes, heart attacks, and premature death.

The Ascension Michigan chair of Cardiovascular Services, Dr. Shukri David, said hypertension is a silent killer.

"The beauty of this study is that this can be applied to the general population with really very little cost, just simple intervention. By reducing your sodium intake by just 25%, you see these huge drops in your morbidity and mortality and stroke risk, " he said. 

David noted that certain people with kidney problems need to be careful about taking in extra potassium that is sometimes found in salt substitutes.