Potassium

In 226 elderly heart failure patients with hypokalemia, high-concentration IV potassium achieved faster T-wave normalization than enteral supplementation, with similar overall efficacy.

An NHANES analysis of 13,855 US adults (ages 40–80) found higher dietary sodium and potassium inversely associated with all-cause mortality in nonlinear dose-response patterns.

In 416,104 NIH-AARP participants, sodium ≥2000 mg/day raised overall and CVD mortality in men and women, while higher potassium and lower sodium-potassium ratio reduced mortality, with stronger effects in women.

In 77 HFpEF patients, potassium nitrate 6 mmol three times daily for 6 weeks did not improve peak oxygen uptake or exercise work versus potassium chloride in a crossover trial.

In 4125 US adults with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, higher dietary magnesium intake linearly associated with lower all-cause mortality; potassium showed no significant linear association.

In 180,156 Million Veteran Program participants, higher sodium intake raised CVD risk (HR 1.09 top vs bottom quintile) while potassium lowered it (HR 0.87); sodium-potassium ratio HR 1.26.

In 10,709 adults with median 3270 mg/day urinary sodium, higher sodium excretion (HR 1.60) and sodium-potassium ratio raised cardiovascular risk while higher potassium excretion lowered it (HR 0.69).

In 20,995 rural Chinese adults, salt substitute (75% NaCl/25% KCl) for 4.74 years reduced stroke (RR 0.86), major cardiovascular events (RR 0.87), and death (RR 0.88) versus regular salt.

A review argued combined calcium and potassium deficiencies in Western diets contribute importantly to cardiovascular disease beyond single-nutrient effects.

A dose-response meta-analysis of 10 RCTs found potassium supplementation lowered blood pressure more in hypertensive than normotensive subjects; 50 mmol/day urinary potassium linked to ~0.5 mmHg SBP reduction in hypertension.

A meta-analysis found magnesium ≤360 mg/day and potassium ≤60 mmol/day for >1–3 months reduced systolic BP about 2.3–4.3 mmHg in normotensive adults.

In 30 pre-hypertensive adults, adding ~85 mmol/day potassium from potatoes lowered systolic BP −6.0 mmHg over time versus control (−2.6 mmHg, p=0.011), though end-of-treatment BP did not differ.

In 29 adults with stage 3 CKD, a 100 vs 40 mmol/day potassium diet for 4 weeks did not lower 24-hour systolic BP; clinic SBP fell −4.2 mmHg (p=0.054) with two hyperkalemia cases.

In 502 rural Indian hypertensive patients, 70% NaCl/30% KCl salt substitute for 3 months lowered systolic BP 4.6 mmHg and diastolic BP 1.1 mmHg versus regular salt.

A meta-analysis of 32 potassium RCTs found U-shaped BP effects: benefit up to ~30 mmol/day urinary potassium increase, with possible BP rise at very high intakes in treated hypertension.

The 2017 ACC/AHA hypertension guideline recommends lifestyle measures including dietary potassium as part of blood pressure management in adults.

A meta-analysis of 23 RCTs (n=1213) found oral potassium supplementation reduced systolic BP −4.25 mmHg and diastolic BP −2.53 mmHg versus placebo.

A meta-analysis of 15 RCTs (n=917) found potassium supplementation lowered systolic BP 4.7 mmHg and diastolic BP 3.5 mmHg, with larger effects in hypertensive patients.

A meta-analysis of 10 RCTs in high-salt populations found potassium lowered systolic BP −9.5 mmHg and diastolic BP −6.4 mmHg, suggesting benefit depends on sodium intake.

A systematic review of lifestyle trials found sodium restriction lowered BP 3.6 mmHg systolic; potassium effects were not robustly supported in this analysis.

A Cochrane review of 6 RCTs (n=483) in hypertensive adults found potassium versus placebo produced large but statistically non-significant BP reductions over 8–16 weeks.

A review estimated low potassium intake contributes 9–17% of hypertension population-attributable risk in Western countries, alongside sodium and other lifestyle factors.

A meta-analysis of 33 RCTs (n=2609) found potassium supplementation lowered systolic BP −3.11 mmHg and diastolic BP −1.97 mmHg, enhanced with high sodium intake.

In 353 adults with high-normal BP, potassium chloride 60 mmol/day lowered diastolic BP 1.8 mmHg at 3 months but not at 6 months versus placebo.

In 587 overweight hypertensive TAIM participants, a low-sodium/high-potassium diet for 3 years did not reduce antihypertensive treatment failure versus usual diet (RR 0.95, p=0.71).

A review of kidney stone management recommends increased fluid intake, thiazides, allopurinol, or citrates for recurrence prevention based on stone type and metabolic evaluation.

The AUA kidney stone guideline recommends metabolic evaluation and targeted diet or medication (thiazides, citrate, allopurinol) for recurrent stone formers based on 46 evidence-based studies.

In 172 rheumatoid arthritis patients, potassium-rich diet plus potassium supplement for 16 weeks reduced pain VAS −2.23 points at week 16 versus control (per-protocol analysis).

In 317,162 UK Biobank participants, higher urinary potassium-to-creatinine ratio associated with 10% lower incident chronic kidney disease risk per 1-SD increase (aHR 0.90).

A meta-analysis of 7 prospective studies found inverse nonlinear association between dietary potassium ≥2900 mg/day and diabetes risk.

In 20,995 SSaSS participants, salt substitute versus regular salt for 5 years did not alter fracture incidence (RR 0.96 for all fractures).

In 868 older adults followed 5 years, each 0.73 g/day increase in sodium intake associated with 0.13-point decline in physical performance score, while potassium increase linked to 0.19-point gain.

In 27 African-American prediabetic adults, potassium chloride 40 mEq/day for 3 months improved fasting glucose versus placebo (P=0.03) despite minimal serum potassium change.

In 86,149 Nurses' Health Study I and 94,715 NHS II participants, highest magnesium and potassium intake quintiles associated with 11–13% lower stroke risk over 22–30 years follow-up.

A meta-analysis of 14 cohorts (333,250 participants) found higher potassium intake associated with 20% lower stroke risk (RR 0.80, 95% CI 0.72–0.90).

In 280 SLE patients, higher dietary sodium associated with anti-dsDNA and hsCRP >3, while higher potassium inversely associated with elevated hsCRP.