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8  Food Additives Linked to High Blood Pressure and Heart Disease





The preservatives that keep food fresh, colorful, and shelf-stable may come with a hidden cost. A large study of more than 112,000 people found that heavy consumption of several widely used preservatives was associated with higher rates of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.

Researchers identified eight additives linked to hypertension, with one also associated with cardiovascular disease. The study was observational, so it can’t prove that these preservatives directly caused the health problems. Still, the findings raise questions about ingredients found throughout the processed food supply.

Why Researchers Studied Preservatives

Preservatives do a lot of useful work. They prevent bacteria and mold from growing, slow spoilage, and help foods maintain their color, flavor, and freshness. That’s why they appear in hundreds of thousands of industrially processed products.

Their widespread use also means people may consume them frequently and over many years. Researchers wanted to know what that long-term exposure could mean for heart health.

“Experimental studies suggest that some preservative food additives may be harmful to cardiovascular health, but we have not had enough evidence on the impact of these ingredients in humans,” said lead researcher Anaïs Hasenböhler, a PhD student with the Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team at Université Sorbonne Paris Nord and Université Paris Cité.

“As far as we know, this is the first study of its kind to investigate the links between a wide range of preservatives and cardiovascular health.”

Hasenböhler and Dr. Mathilde Touvier, research director at INSERM, the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research, led the research. They published their findings in the European Heart Journal.

More Than 112,000 Diets Tracked Over Several Years

The study drew on data from NutriNet-Santé, a large, ongoing French research project exploring the relationship between nutrition and health.

Researchers followed 112,395 adults living in France. Every six months, participants recorded everything they ate and drank over three days. This gave the research team a detailed picture of their diets, including the preservatives found in individual foods and beverages.

Researchers followed participants for an average of seven to eight years. During that time, researchers tracked diagnoses of high blood pressure and cardiovascular conditions such as heart attack, stroke, and angina.

Exposure to preservatives was nearly universal. During their first two years in the study, 99.5% of participants consumed at least one.

The Heaviest Consumers Faced the Highest Risks

The clearest associations appeared among people who consumed the largest amounts of certain preservatives.

Those with the highest intake of “non-antioxidant” preservatives had a 29% greater risk of developing high blood pressure than participants with the lowest intake. They also faced a 16% higher risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attack, stroke, and angina.

People who consumed the most antioxidant preservatives had a 22% higher risk of high blood pressure.

These two groups of preservatives protect food in different ways. Non-antioxidant preservatives generally stop potentially harmful bacteria, mold, and other microorganisms from growing. Antioxidant preservatives slow oxidation, the chemical process that can cause food to turn brown, taste unpleasant, or become rancid.

Eight Preservatives Were Associated With High Blood Pressure

Researchers examined 17 of the preservatives most commonly consumed by participants. Eight stood out for their association with a higher risk of hypertension:

  • Potassium sorbate (E202)
  • Potassium metabisulphite (E224)
  • Sodium nitrite (E250)
  • Ascorbic acid (E300)
  • Sodium ascorbate (E301)
  • Sodium erythorbate (E316)
  • Citric acid (E330)
  • Rosemary extracts (E392)

Ascorbic acid, also known as vitamin C or E300, was also specifically associated with cardiovascular disease.

That doesn’t mean eating a product containing one of these ingredients will cause high blood pressure or heart disease. The study identified statistical links, not proof of cause and effect. Diet, lifestyle, genetics, and other factors may also play a role.

How Could Preservatives Affect the Body?

Researchers are considering several possible explanations.

One is oxidative stress, which happens when reactive molecules accumulate faster than the body can neutralize them. Over time, that imbalance can damage cells and tissues.

Another possibility involves the pancreas. Because the pancreas helps control blood sugar and metabolism, changes in its function could affect several systems throughout the body.

“Experimental research in the literature consistently suggested that preservatives may cause oxidative stress in the body or affect the way the pancreas works,” Touvier said.

The team is now studying whether food additives and ultra-processed foods alter inflammation, oxidative stress, blood metabolism, or the gut microbiota—the vast community of bacteria and other microorganisms living

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