Raising potassium intake might lower high blood pressure
In the journals
- Reviewed by Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
Experts recommend reducing dietary salt to help lower blood pressure, but people should also increase their potassium intake, according to a study published in the March 2025 issue of the American Journal of Physiology–Renal Physiology.
Researchers developed a biological sex-specific mathematical model to investigate how varying potassium-to-sodium ratios affect the body. After running multiple computer simulations, they found that increasing dietary potassium levels while also reducing salt might be more effective in lowering blood pressure than cutting back on salt alone.
The researchers suggested that eating more potassium-rich foods, such as bananas and broccoli, might encourage the kidneys to excrete more sodium and water, thereby lowering blood pressure. The model also examined how sex influenced the relationship between potassium and blood pressure. It found that men were more likely than women to benefit from an increased ratio of potassium to sodium.
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About the Author
Matthew Solan, Executive Editor, Harvard Men's Health Watch
About the Reviewer
Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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