The Low Potassium To Sodium Ratio
The potassium to sodium ratio is a delicate balance needed to help lower blood pressure. The kidneys maintain a healthy balance of salt, water and minerals like calcium, phosphorous, sodium and potassium. Without this healthy balance, the tissues in the body, muscles and nerves may not work efficiently.
The more potassium you consume, the more sodium your body will lose. Consuming too much sodium or not enough potassium throws off the delicate balance the kidneys need to remove the excess water 1.
If too much sodium is consumed, the body will hold onto extra water to help dilute the sodium. This increases the amount of fluid around the cells and the volume of blood. The extra volume of blood makes the heart work harder and increases the pressure on the blood vessels.
Over time, the extra stress can stiffen blood vessels causing another reason for high blood pressure 2.
Potassium Effects On Blood Pressure Via The Kidney
Blood pressure is modulated by the nervous system, by vascular tone, through effects of baroreceptors and chemoreceptors and via cardiac output . Over the long term, however, blood pressure regulation requires a balance between salt and water intake and output. The kidney is the major organ determining the salt and water output. This is exemplified by chronic kidney disease, in which small increases in extracellular fluid volume lead to blood pressure increases, which are often responsive to diuretics .
The DCT reabsorbs roughly 57% of the filtered sodium load . The electroneutral sodium-chloride cotransporter in the apical membrane is chiefly responsible for this process. Gitelman syndrome is the most common inherited tubular disease and results from mutations in the SLC12A3 gene encoding NCC . Patients with Gitelman syndrome exhibit potassium wasting, hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia, hypocalciuria, and hypovolemia-induced elevated angiotensin II and aldosterone levels, but they tend to have normal or even low blood pressure . On the other hand, heterozygous mutations in NCC may prevent hypertension and cardiovascular diseases .
Potassium Can Help Lower Blood Pressure Reduce Cvd Risk In Women
An analysis of the EPIC-Norfolk cohort suggests a potassium-rich diet could contribute to lowered blood pressure and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease events in women.
Results of a recent study have investigators calling for an increased emphasis on potassium intake among women for prevention of cardiovascular disease.
An analysis of the EPIC-Norfolk study, results demonstrate a potassium-rich dietwas associated with reductions in systolic blood pressure among women and a reduction in cardiovascular disease events among both men and women, but investigators pointed out this reduction in risk was more pronounced in women.
The results suggest that potassium helps preserve heart health, but that women benefit more than men, said lead investigator Liffert Vogt, MD, PhD, professor of clinical nephrology and renal physiology at Amsterdam University Medical Centers, in a statement. The relationship between potassium and cardiovascular events was the same regardless of salt intake, suggesting that potassium has other ways of protecting the heart on top of increasing sodium excretion.
For the purpose of analysis, patients were divided into turtles based on their daily potassium intake. Investigators pointed out linear and Cox regression were used to estimate associations between potassium intake, systolic blood pressure, and cardiovascular events. Cardiovascular events of interest were defined as hospitalization or death due to cardiovascular disease.
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Avoiding Herbal Remedies Or Supplements
While many people take herbal remedies or supplements to boost overall health, its best to avoid them if you have hyperkalemia. They may contain certain ingredients that are thought to increase potassium levels in the body, such as:
- calcineurin inhibitors for immunosuppressive therapy
- potassium-sparing diuretics, like spironolactone and eplerenone
- a commonly-prescribed antibiotic, trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole
Its important to talk with your healthcare provider about any and all medications you take to help determine the cause of your hyperkalemia.
If your hyperkalemia is caused by a medication you currently take, your healthcare provider may recommend changing or stopping that medication.
Your treatment plan may vary based on whether youre dealing with an acute episode of hyperkalemia or managing chronic hyperkalemia.
Bp Meds For Kidney Disease
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Potassium Your Invisible Friend
I recognise that I spent a lot of time telling people what does not cause heart disease, and what does not protect against heart disease. My sister told me well, what advice would you give people, then? I usually shrug my shoulders and reply there is no shortage of advice around, I dont think I need to add to the daily bombardment.
However, I shall break the habit of a lifetime and, with slight trepidation, announce that I strongly believe that Potassium is good for you. If you consume more of it you will, most likely, live both longer and in better health.
How much should you consume? A couple of extra grams a day should do the trick. Having said this, I do recognise that most people will not have the faintest idea how much potassium they consume and, frankly, neither do I. But you are probably not consuming enough, and your kidneys will easily get rid of any excess.
For those who are not keen on bananas, spinach and broccoli, and other foods high in potassium, you could take it as a tablet. Potassium bicarbonate or potassium citrate appears to be the best formulation. Depending on which brand you decide to buy, it should cost about £15 20/year.
an unexpectedly powerful protective relation of dietary potassium to all-cause mortality, the study concluded.
The paper showed that:
- Men consuming an average of 5400 mg of potassium per day vs 1840 mg were 55% less likely to die during 7.6 year study
What Is The Evidence Linking Potassium Intake And Bp
Multiple observational and interventional studies have investigated the impact of potassium on BP and the risk of developing hypertension and the ability of potassium supplementation to reduce BP in hypertensive patients. In recent years, several large surveys have been published adding further evidence supporting greater potassium intake to lower BP. Yet, many questions remain unanswered, limiting our ability to propose firm recommendations with a high level of confidence. These studies have been compiled and analysed in several meta-analyses that will be discussed below.
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Potassium And Blood Pressure
Here, were going to talk about Fat Storing Hormone resistance, potassium, blood pressure, and hypertension.
Out of all the nutrients that you need, potassium is the one thats required in one of the largest quantities – you need 4700 mg of potassium every single day to reach recommended requirements!
Very people get this amount, and not getting enough potassium could actually contribute to many other health concerns, including high blood pressure. Heres why.
Potassium In The Food Supply And Potassium Intake
Most Americans eat too little potassium and too much sodium. Some good sources of potassium include bananas, oranges and melons, cooked spinach and broccoli, and potatoes and sweet potatoes.
The majority of sodium in our diets comes from packaged and restaurant food as a result of food processing. Even foods that may not taste salty can be major sources of sodium. Foods with only moderate amounts of sodium, such as bread, can be major sources of sodium because theyre eaten so frequently. Americans consume more than 3,400 milligrams of sodium each day, on average. This is well above the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommendation.
You can find potassium and sodium content, and percent Daily Values on Nutrition Facts Labels for packaged foods.
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Is It Possible To Have Too Much Potassium
Too much potassium can be harmful in older people and those with kidney disorders, since potassium affects the balance of fluids in the body. As you get older, your kidneys become less able to remove potassium from our blood. So, before taking any over-the-counter potassium supplement, talk to your healthcare provider.
How Does Potassium Lower Bp
The opposite effect is supposed to be determined by high potassium intake. Figure illustrates how changes in potassium intake may affect BP through an adrenorenal pathway involving NCC. Yet, still other renal tubular mechanisms may contribute to explain the effect of potassium intake on BP, and some of them are being studied, such as tissue kallikrein and kinase pathways . Of note, there is also a gastrointestinal regulation of potassium excretion that increases urinary potassium excretion after meals independent of changes in serum potassium .
Several non-renal mechanisms for the hypotensive effects of potassium have also been proposed, including reduced renal renin release, decreased vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation, reduced vascular smooth muscle cell migration, decreased free radical formation, reduced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol oxidation, decreased platelet aggregation, improvement of endothelium-dependent vasodilatation and reduction of oxidative stress . Experimentally, we have demonstrated that an increase in potassium in DOCA-salt uninephrectomized mice reverses cardiac and renal hypertrophy and restores vasorelaxation of resistance arterioles independent of BP . All these observations support the role of potassium in lowering BP, but also in preventing the cardiac and cerebral complications of hypertension.
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How To Eat More Potassium
Fruits and vegetables
Fruit and vegetables are a great source of potassium. Plus theyre full of vitamins, minerals and fibre which keep your body in good condition, helping to prevent bowel problems and some cancers as well as heart disease and stroke.
Fruits that are particularly high in potassium include:
- tomato juice and tomato puree
- orange juice
- wholemeal pasta
As well as eating foods high in potassium, will help to keep your kidneys and blood pressure in good health.
Potassium supplementsand your kidneys
Its possible to have too much of a good thing. To make sure you don’t overdose on potassium, avoid taking supplements and get your daily potassium from fruits and vegetables and the other foods listed here.
If you have or are taking certain blood pressure medications, a large increase in potassium could be harmful. If this applies to you, avoid taking potassium supplements or switching to potassium-based salt alternatives, and check with your doctor before dramatically increasing your potassium intake.
Lower Blood Pressure With High
Disclaimer: Results are not guaranteed*** and may vary from person to person***.
If you suffer from high blood pressure, then youll definitely want to check out this simple dietary solution.
Often referred to as a silent killer, high blood pressure can often take a toll on our bodies, without us even realizing it.
What if I told you that you could avoid these dangerous consequences altogether by making some simple changes to your diet?
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Potassium Linked To Low Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is one of the leading causes of heart disease, resulting in the deaths of nearly 610,000 people in the U.S. alone. For decades, doctors and health professionals have advocated for exercise and eating healthier diets to help curb this statistic, but to no avail. Perhaps the type of healthy food may also play a role, however, as a new study links increased dietary potassium with lower blood pressure.
Eating potassium-rich foods like sweet potatoes, avocados, spinach, beans, bananasand even coffeecould be key to lowering blood pressure, according to Alicia McDonough, Ph.D., professor of cell and neurobiology at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California .
McDonough and her colleagues recognize how high blood pressure is a global trend affecting nearly one billion people worldwide. This pandemic has led to increasing rates of heart disease and stroke, becoming one of the worlds most common contributors to global mortality rates. The World Health Organization estimates that high blood pressure is responsible for at least 51 percent of deaths due to stroke, and 45 percent of deaths due to heart disease.
Decreasing sodium intake is a well-established way to lower blood pressure, McDonough says, but evidence suggests that increasing dietary potassium may have an equally important effect on hypertension.
The Proper Ratio Of Potassium To Sodium
Knowing how a low potassium to sodium ratio can increase blood pressure, you may be wondering, what is the proper ratio of potassium to sodium? The proper potassium to sodium ratio is 4:1. The ratio equals 4,700 mg. of potassium to 1,250 mg. of sodium.
The American Heart Association recommends 4,700 milligrams of potassium per day 3. Unlike sodium, most Americans are not consuming enough potassium. The average person is getting about half. In fact, most people are consuming more sodium that potassium.
For sodium, the American Heart Association recommends an upper limit of 2,300 mg. per day. An ideal amount of 1,500 mg. per day for men and women 14 years of age and older. They say for people with high BP, cutting the amount to 1,000 mg a day can lower blood pressure.
Consult with a healthcare professional if you take medication, have any kind of kidney disorder, or not, about the amount of potassium you should be taking every day.
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Ways To Manage Your Blood Pressure
If your blood pressure is rising gradually but not classified as hypertension yet, making lifestyle changes can help prevent this condition and protect your heart health.
If you already have high blood pressure, you should see a healthcare provider. Your doctor will likely prescribe you medication to lower your blood pressure immediately, then create a plan to help you achieve more long-term improvements. Treatment plans for high blood pressure usually focus on improving your overall health. These plans should include efforts like:
- Weight loss
- Quitting smoking
- Reducing alcohol
These changes won’t lower your blood pressure immediately the way medications will, but over time, your doctor may be able to reduce or even stop medications if you can successfully lower your blood pressure with lifestyle changes.
Potassium As Important As Sodium For Healthy Blood Pressure
A high salt diet is known to increase the risk of hypertension. A recent review concludes that consuming adequate potassium levels might be just as important for maintaining a healthy blood pressure.
High blood pressure is a silent killer. Worldwide, it affects an estimated 1 billion people. Approximately of these live in the United States totaling around 1 in 3 people.
The World Health Organization calculates that hypertension is behind 51 percent of stroke-related deaths and 45 percent of heart disease deaths.
Studies over recent years have clearly demonstrated that eating a diet high in salt , such as the standard Western diet, can lead to hypertension.
This most recent review, published in American Journal of Physiology Endocrinology and Metabolism, shows that high sodium intake is not the only important dietary factor potassium also has a vital role to play.
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Does Potassium Lower Blood Pressure
Potassium has several functions in the body, aiding with the proper workings of the heart, kidneys, nerves, muscles and the digestive system. A lack of potassium can manifest itself in many ways, including high blood pressure.
Researchers have looked at the connection between high blood pressure and potassium for decades, determining that simply increasing your potassium intake while lowering your sodium intake is enough to get your blood pressure back under control.
Our friends over at NaturalNews have compiled some pretty telling statements from experts in the medical and nutritional community on the power of potassium in helping control blood pressure.
One study conducted from St. Georges Medical School in London and published in the April 2005 issue of Hypertension, found that potassium citrate can lower blood pressure just as well as potassium chloride which has been shown to lower blood pressure. Potassium chloride must be taken in supplement form, while potassium citrate can be attained through foods.
After comparing the blood-pressure-lowering effects of potassium chloride against the effects of potassium citrate, researchers found that each one has similarly positive effects. Adults starting at 151/93 on average found their blood pressure reduced to 140/88 while using potassium chloride, and 138/88 when taking potassium citrate.
How Long Does It Take To Lower Blood Pressure
Each and every one of us is different. So, how long it takes to lower your blood pressure will depend on how high your levels are, the medication you’re taking to lower it, and how carefully you’re following the treatment plan prescribed for you by your doctor. Read more about how to safely lower your blood pressure in this overview.
Verywell / Mayya Agapova
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