The replacement of regular salt with a salt substitute can reduce incidences of hypertension, or high blood pressure, in older adults without increasing their risk of low blood pressure episodes, according to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC). Researchers from Peking University Clinical Research Institute in Beijing, China found that people who used a salt substitute had a 40% lower incidence and likelihood of experiencing hypertension compared to those who used regular salt.
There is some evidence that increasing salt intake, as measured by sodium in urine may be linked to increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol. This has been linked to increased blood pressure and the reduced effectiveness of the hormone insulin. Insulin normally controls blood glucose levels and is a key part of how type 2 diabetes develops. However, evidence for this mechanism has only been shown in rats.