When mice eat a lot of salt, adding a moderate amount of potassium lowers their blood pressure, showing that potassium's main benefit might be fighting high blood pressure caused by salt.

Scientific Claim

Moderate potassium intake (2%) on a high-sodium diet in male mice is associated with reduced systolic blood pressure compared to high sodium alone, suggesting potassium's primary benefit may be mitigating salt-induced hypertension.

Original Statement

“Our data also clearly show that high NaCl-driven increases in BP can be attenuated by moderately increasing K+ intake (~2.5 fold), suggesting that the beneficial effects of K+ on BP are predominantly to limit salt-sensitive rises in BP.”

From study:Excess dietary potassium raises blood pressure in male mice by an aldosterone-dependent increase in ENaC

Evidence Quality Assessment

Claim Status

appropriately stated

Study Design Support

Design supports claim

Appropriate Language Strength

association

Can only show association/correlation

Assessment Explanation

The study design supports descriptive claims about physiological outcomes. The language accurately reflects observed data without causal implications.

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

Excess dietary potassium raises blood pressure in male mice by an aldosterone-dependent increase in ENaC

Cohort Study

Animal

2025 Nov 17

Contradicting (0)

No contradicting evidence found

Source Study

Excess dietary potassium raises blood pressure in male mice by an aldosterone-dependent increase in ENaC

Score: 13

DOI: 10.1038/s42003-025-08976-y

Similar Assertions

In mice eating normal salt, too much potassium (over 1.75% of their diet) makes their blood pressure go up during active hours, especially at high potassium levels like 5%, because of increased activity of certain kidney channels.

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When mice eat a lot of salt, adding a moderate amount of potassium lowers their blood pressure by about 3.6 mmHg compared to eating the same high salt without extra potassium.

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In mice eating normal salt, even though extra potassium slows down one salt-handling channel (NCC), it doesn't lower blood pressure because another channel (ENaC) starts pulling in more salt instead.

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Long-term high potassium makes a kidney channel more active, and blocking that channel with a drug lowers blood pressure in mice.

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Eating more potassium-rich foods doesn't change how much salt is passed in urine or body weight for people with high blood pressure over a year.

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