Study of 112,395 Adults Links Food Preservatives to 24% Higher Hypertension Risk
Updated
Updated · mindbodygreen · May 25
Study of 112,395 Adults Links Food Preservatives to 24% Higher Hypertension Risk
10 articles · Updated · mindbodygreen · May 25
Nearly 8 years of follow-up in 112,395 French adults found higher preservative intake tracked with more heart disease and high blood pressure, with 2,450 cardiovascular cases and 5,544 hypertension cases recorded.
The strongest overall signal was a 24% higher hypertension risk for higher total preservative intake, while high non-antioxidant preservative intake was tied to 16% higher cardiovascular risk and 26% higher coronary heart disease risk.
Specific additives flagged for hypertension included potassium sorbate at 39% higher risk, citric acid at 25%, and sodium nitrite and potassium metabisulphite at 16% each; ascorbic acid was also linked to 15% higher cardiovascular risk.
Those links held after adjusting for sodium, sugar, saturated fat, diet quality and ultra-processed food intake, suggesting the additives themselves may matter rather than only the broader processed-food pattern.
The observational study cannot prove causation, but it adds to scrutiny of additives that are widespread in packaged foods—99.5% of participants consumed some preservatives and more than 20% of industrial foods and drinks contained at least one.
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Food Preservatives and Heart Disease: Latest Findings from the 2026 NutriNet-Santé Study
Overview
A major new study from the French NutriNet-Santé cohort, published in the European Heart Journal in May 2026, highlights a strong link between higher intake of common food preservatives and increased risks of hypertension and cardiovascular disease. The research suggests that these preservatives may harm heart health by disrupting the gut microbiota, which is essential for metabolism and overall well-being. This disruption, known as dysbiosis, has been tied to chronic conditions like high blood pressure. The findings add important evidence to ongoing concerns about food additives and their impact on public health, emphasizing the need for further investigation and updated dietary guidelines.