Why Your Mother Was Right: How Potassium Intake Reduces Blood Pressure.
Low potassium intake, common in western diets, increases blood pressure and enhances salt-sensitivity. Most humans in "Westernized" countries also consume excess salt. In studies using mice, we found that a high-salt, low-potassium diet activates the thiazide-sensitive Na-Cl cotransporter in the kidney. This effect led to sodium retention and increased blood pressure, and was dependent on plasma potassium. We postulated that this effect was mediated by changes in intracellular chloride caused by changes in membrane voltage. We developed a model in cultured cells permitting us to confirm this hypothesis. We then confirmed, using urinary exosomes, that dietary changes in normal humans, affect the thiazide-sensitive Na-Cl cotransporter in the same way. These data show that dietary potassium deficiency increases blood pressure largely by stimulating salt reabsorption along the distal nephron. They suggest that global efforts should focus on increasing potassium intake, which will attenuate the effects of high-salt diets.
Portland, Oregon.
David H
DH
Ellison
Portland, Oregon.
Andrew S
AS
Terker
D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011191:Potassium Deficiency / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D017419:Potassium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism; D064486:Solute Carrier Family 12, Member 3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D014162:Transfection; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014882:Water-Electrolyte Balance
D017419:Potassium, Dietary; C578874:SLC12A3 protein, human; C578875:Slc12a3 protein, mouse; D064486:Solute Carrier Family 12, Member 3