When mice eat a lot of salt, their kidney's salt-handling channels (NCC and ENaC) are already low, and adding more potassium doesn't make ENaC any higher.

Scientific Claim

High dietary sodium intake (1.57% Na+) in male mice reduces baseline NCC and αENaC abundance, and moderate potassium supplementation does not further increase αENaC levels under high sodium conditions.

Original Statement

“Relative to mice on an NS0.75K intake, NCC and pNCC abundances were reduced in all mice receiving HS diets, and further reductions following high K+ intake were not detected (Fig. 6). Similarly, total and cleaved αENaC were reduced on all HS diets, and increasing dietary K+ intake did not significantly increase their abundances.”

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 protein levels. 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

When mice eat more potassium on normal salt, their kidney's salt-handling channels change: one type (NCC) slows down but another (ENaC) speeds up, especially when aldosterone hits about 2701 pg/24h.

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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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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, 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.

71%