High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a condition that affects more than 1 billion people worldwide. The World Health Organization estimates that hypertension is the cause of 51% of deaths due to stroke and 45% of deaths due to heart disease.
Hypertension is due to a variety of factors such as genetics, diabetes, obesity, and lifestyle. Many are genetically predisposed to having high blood pressure, but lifestyle factors like lack of physical activity, not eating enough fruits and vegetables, alcohol and caffeine overconsumption, smoking, and certain medications can all increase your blood pressure. For many years, the public was advised by the USDA and doctors to also limit their sodium intake to 2,300 mg per day to reduce blood pressure. But the evidence is mounting that limiting your sodium intake will not lower your blood pressure. Instead, the key is having the correct balance of sodium and potassium in your system.
Low Potassium Levels and High Blood Pressure
A new study shows that just limiting salt does not control high blood pressure. Researchers at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California found that potassium-rich foods, including many fruits and vegetables, may be lowering blood pressure through your diet.
Researchers studied the many connections that blood pressure, dietary sodium, potassium, and the sodium-potassium ratio all have. What they discovered is that higher dietary potassium levels were linked to lower blood pressure levels, regardless of sodium intake.
“Decreasing sodium intake is a well-established way to lower blood pressure,” Alicia McDonough, professor of cell and neurobiology at the Keck School of Medicine, said in a press release. “But evidence suggests that increasing dietary potassium may have an equally important effect on hypertension.” Potassium is able to counteract the effects of sodium, and having a higher potassium level helps the body get rid of more sodium through urination. So, having a high potassium intake can lower your blood pressure because it naturally tries to lower and balance the body’s sodium levels.
“When dietary potassium is high, kidneys excrete more salt and water, which increases potassium excretion,” McDonough says. “Eating a high-potassium diet is like taking a diuretic.”
There is more evidence to back this claim, as an earlier study came to a similar conclusion. An Institute of Medicine study done in 2004 recommended adults consume at least 4.7 grams of potassium a day to lower their risk of high blood pressure. Consuming foods with ample amounts of potassium can offset the effects of dietary sodium but can also reduce the risk of kidney stones and bone decay. Unfortunately, researchers say that most diets these days consist of a variety of processed foods with added salt that are usually low in potassium, which works directly against the recommended sodium and potassium levels.
“If you eat a typical Western diet, your sodium intake is high and your potassium intake is low,” McDonough said. “This significantly increases your chances of developing high blood pressure.”
D.A.S.H. Method
Now we know that potassium pairs directly with sodium, but that isn’t the only thing potassium is good for. This electrolyte is also known for regulating nerve function, fluid balance, and muscle contractions. Which means it is extremely essential for those with heart concerns, as heartbeats are really just muscle contractions. So, if your potassium levels are low, your heart has more trouble contracting and then struggles to function and pump blood efficiently.
Many who have high blood pressure use the D.A.S.H. Method (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension). This diet is full of potassium-rich foods and other foods associated with lowering blood pressure. Getting enough potassium is incredibly important and the easiest way to do that is through potassium-rich foods. When we think about potassium, we typically focus on bananas when, in fact, there are many foods that contain more potassium than bananas.
Potassium-Rich Foods:
- Avocados
- Salmon
- Sweet potatoes
- White potatoes
- Dates
- Tomato sauce
- Watermelon
- Spinach
- Beets
- White & black beans
If you or a loved one suffers from chronically high blood pressure or are at risk of developing high blood pressure, check your potassium levels to see if you need to add some potassium-rich foods to your diet.
The study was published in the American Journal of Physiology.
References:
Why Sodium-Potassium Balance Is Critical for Better Hydration
The Relationship Between Potassium and Salt in Your Body – Biology Insights
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