Protective effects of high dietary potassium: nutritional and metabolic aspects.
Potassium (K+) requirements have been largely overlooked because severe deficiencies are uncommon due to the ubiquity of this element in foods. However, a transition toward modern ("Westernized") diets has led to a substantial decline of K+ intake compared with traditional food habits, and a large fraction of the population might now have suboptimal K+ intake. A high K+ intake was demonstrated to have protective effects against several pathologic states affecting the cardiovascular system, kidneys, and bones. Additionally, fruits and vegetables contain K/organic anion salts (malate, citrate), which exert alkalinizing effects, through KHCO(3)(-) generation, which serves to neutralize fixed acidity in urine. Low-grade metabolic acidosis, when not properly controlled, may exacerbate various catabolic processes (bone Ca++ mobilization, proteolysis), especially in the elderly. Fruits and vegetables are therefore receiving great attention in a strategy to increase the nutritional value of meals while reducing energy density and intake. The need to ensure a 2.5- to 3.5-g daily K+ supply from fruits and vegetables represents a strong rationale for the "5-10 servings per day" recommendations.
Demigné
Christian
C
Metabolic Diseases and Micronutriments Unit, INRA Theix/CRNH Clermont-Ferrand, 63122 St-Genes-Champanelle, France. demigne@clermont.inra.fr
Sabboh
Houda
H
Rémésy
Christian
C
Meneton
Pierre
P
D000136:Acid-Base Equilibrium; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001847:Bone Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D002413:Cations, Divalent; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D017419:Potassium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D014556:Urine; D014675:Vegetables
D001786:Blood Glucose; D002413:Cations, Divalent; D017419:Potassium, Dietary