Potassium Intake, Bioavailability, Hypertension, and Glucose Control.

Michael Stone,Lisa Martyn,Connie Weaver

doi:10.3390/nu8070444

Michael Stone, Lisa Martyn + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/nu8070444

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Journal: Nutrients	Publication Date: Jul 22, 2016
Citations: 239	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Purdue University West Lafayette

Abstract

Potassium is an essential nutrient. It is the most abundant cation in intracellular fluid where it plays a key role in maintaining cell function. The gradient of potassium across the cell membrane determines cellular membrane potential, which is maintained in large part by the ubiquitous ion channel the sodium-potassium (Na+-K+) ATPase pump. Approximately 90% of potassium consumed (60–100 mEq) is lost in the urine, with the other 10% excreted in the stool, and a very small amount lost in sweat. Little is known about the bioavailability of potassium, especially from dietary sources. Less is understood on how bioavailability may affect health outcomes. Hypertension (HTN) is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and a major financial burden ($50.6 billion) to the US public health system, and has a significant impact on all-cause morbidity and mortality worldwide. The relationship between increased potassium supplementation and a decrease in HTN is relatively well understood, but the effect of increased potassium intake from dietary sources on blood pressure overall is less clear. In addition, treatment options for hypertensive individuals (e.g., thiazide diuretics) may further compound chronic disease risk via impairments in potassium utilization and glucose control. Understanding potassium bioavailability from various sources may help to reveal how specific compounds and tissues influence potassium movement, and further the understanding of its role in health.

Highlights

The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) intervention revealed that a diet rich in fruit and vegetables, fiber, and low fat dairy products, with reductions in saturated and total fat and sodium could positively influence blood pressure (BP)
The DASH diet does lead to a dramatic increase in potassium consumption (+1447 to 2776 mg/day) and reduction in BP, due to its other dietary modifications, these beneficial effects cannot be attributed to potassium alone [49]
In an earlier study conducted by Chalmers et al, researchers assessed the effects of both the reduction of dietary sodium and increase of dietary potassium on BP [63]

Summary

Introduction

It is the most abundant cation in intracellular fluid, where it plays a key role in maintaining cell function, in excitable cells such as muscles and nerves. Because potassium is a major intracellular ion, it is widely distributed in foods once derived from living tissues. Potassium concentration is higher in fruits and vegetables than in cereals and meat. Salting foods and discarding the liquid induces sodium (Na+) for potassium (K+) exchange and reduces the potassium content of foods. Western dietary practices with higher consumption of cereal, low nutrient density processed foods and lower consumption of fruits and vegetables has led to a diet lower in potassium and higher in sodium in recent decades [1]

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