Research

Micronutrients & recovery

Higher potassium intake is associated with lower blood pressure and reduced cardiovascular risk, independent of sodium intake levels, with benefits observed even when sodium reduction is modest.

Aim for a diet rich in potassium by eating more fruits, vegetables, legumes, and dairy. This helps lower blood pressure and reduces heart disease risk, even if you don't perfectly reduce your salt intake. If you use salt substitutes, choose ones with potassium chloride.

StrongSupportsHIGH confidence
Increased potassium intake reduces blood pressure and mitigates the hypertensive effects of excess sodium intake, and the recent large Phase III SSaSS trial reported that increasing potassium intake (and reducing sodium intake) in populations with low potassium intake and high sodium intake, through salt substitution (25% KCl, 75%NaCl), reduces the risk of stroke in patients at increased cardiovascular risk.
Martin O’Donnell et al. · European Heart Journal · 2023

Why this rating

Supported by multiple meta-analyses and large cohort studies (PURE, INTERSALT).

Source

Potassium intake: the Cinderella electrolyte

Martin O’Donnell et al. · European Heart Journal · 2023

narrative_reviewCited 18×
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