Effects of sodium and potassium supplementation on blood pressure and arterial stiffness: a fully controlled dietary intervention study

Abstract

We performed a randomised, placebo-controlled, crossover study to examine the effects of sodium and potassium supplementation on blood pressure (BP) and arterial stiffness in untreated (pre)hypertensive individuals. During the study, subjects were on a fully controlled diet that was relatively low in sodium and potassium. After a 1-week run-in period, subjects received capsules with supplemental sodium (3 g d(-1), equals 7.6 g d(-1) of salt), supplemental potassium (3 g d(-1)) or placebo, for 4 weeks each, in random order. Fasting office BP, 24-h ambulatory BP and measures of arterial stiffness were assessed at baseline and every 4 weeks. Of 37 randomized subjects, 36 completed the study. They had a mean pre-treatment BP of 145/81 mm Hg and 69% had systolic BP ⩾140 mm Hg. Sodium excretion was increased by 98 mmol per 24 h and potassium excretion by 63 mmol per 24 h during active interventions, compared with placebo. During sodium supplementation, office BP was significantly increased by 7.5/3.3 mm Hg, 24-h BP by 7.5/2.7 mm Hg and central BP by 8.5/3.6 mm Hg. During potassium supplementation, 24-h BP was significantly reduced by 3.9/1.6 mm Hg and central pulse pressure by 2.9 mm Hg. Pulse wave velocity and augmentation index were not significantly affected by sodium or potassium supplementation. In conclusion, increasing the intake of sodium caused a substantial increase in BP in subjects with untreated elevated BP. Increased potassium intake, on top of a relatively low-sodium diet, had a beneficial effect on BP. Arterial stiffness did not materially change during 4-week interventions with sodium or potassium.

Benefit and risk assessment of increasing potassium intake by replacement of sodium chloride with potassium chloride in industrial food products in Norway

“…A randomised, placebo-controlled cross-over study examined blood pressure in 36 subjects on a controlled diet low in sodium and given potassium supplementation of 2.8 g/day or placebo, four weeks on each treatment (Gijsbers et al, 2015). During potassium supplementation, 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure was significantly reduced compared with placebo; the mean difference was −3.9 mmHg (95% CI -6.9 to −0.9, P = 0.013) in systolic blood pressure and −1.6 mmHg (95% CI -3.2 to −0.1, P = 0.039) in diastolic blood pressure.…”

Encapsulated sodium supplementation of 4weeks does not alter salt taste preferences in a controlled low sodium and low potassium diet

“…The intervention on blood pressure included 36 participants (Gijsbers et al, 2015), from who 26 (16 men and 10 women) were willing to participate in the present study. The remaining 10 participants did not want to participate due to logistical or time-consuming reasons.…”

“…Participants received diets that were standardized to their energy needs, calculated from the results of a Food Frequency Questionnaire and Schofield I equation (Gijsbers et al, 2015). The low sodium, low potassium diet was targeted to provide 2 g of sodium and 2 g of potassium at an energy intake of 2500 kcal a day.…”

“…The present study was embedded in a large intervention that studied effects of sodium and potassium supplementation on blood pressure and arterial stiffness, published elsewhere (Gijsbers et al, 2015). The participants of the present study had untreated upper-range prehypertension or stage 1 hypertension.…”

Goede voeding voor het hart : zorg dat het klopt

“…Er bestaat geen twijfel over dat zout de bloeddruk verhoogt, met gemiddeld 1 mm kwikdruk per gram, zoals blijkt uit vele trials, inclusief die van mijzelf. [17][18][19] Zoals ik met het taartpuntenmodel van Rothman heb uitgelegd kan op individueel niveau niet precies voorspeld worden hoe sterk iemand reageert op zout, er is variatie tussen personen.…”