As you can imagine, Fryer’s theory isn’t universally popular. Many people are uncomfortable talking about genetic racial difference at all. “People e-mail me and say, ‘Can’t you see the slippery slope here!? Can you see the perils of this argument?’” Fresh medical research may prove that the salt-sensitivity theory isn’t even right. But if it is, even in small measure, the potential benefits are huge. “There’s something that can be done,” Fryer says. “A diuretic that helps your body get rid of your salts. A little common pill.”
