The American Heart Association reports that coronary heart disease caused about one of every six deaths in the United States in 2006 and that the disease is the largest killer of American males and females. This is significant and remains a national health problem and requires health experts to increase the number of prevention and treatment modalities for clients and patients. One often forgotten method of improving heart health is to increase intake of potassium in the diet.
Role of Potassium in the Body
Potassium is a mineral that functions within the cells of the body. Calories are used in the body to pump potassium and sodium in and out of cells. Potassium assists with conduction of nerve impulses, muscle contractions, pH homeostasis and supports bone and kidney health. Maintaining optimal levels is important for all of these functions, and alterations or deficiencies can have serious consequences.
Role of Potassium for Heart Health
For heart health, potassium plays a major role in maintaining your blood pressure. Studies have shown that even a moderate deficiency in potassium can lead to high blood pressure. Not only this, but other related cardiovascular health conditions, bone loss and kidney stones can result due to a deficiency. A study in the May 2007 "New England Journal of Medicine" says that deficiencies in potassium play a major role in hypertension, which increases the risk for heart attack.
Research
Potassium has appeared in research studies as being a causative factor in in blood pressure. A study in the January 2006 "Journal of the American College of Nutrition" assessed the role of potassium and sodium in regard to diet and blood pressure. The study says that the blood pressure lowering effect of the DASH diet is likely due to the high content of potassium present in the diet. The DASH diet is rich in fruits in vegetables that contain potassium and are low in sodium.
Potassium Recommendations
The Institute of Medicine or IOM has developed guidelines and recommendations for potassium intake. For healthy adults, 4.7 g each day is recommended and is equal to the amount of nine to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables. This amount is set based on needs for lowering blood pressure and should counter the effect sodium has on blood pressure. Today's Dietitian says the 2005 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee follows the IOM's guidelines and encourages the same amount of fruit and vegetables daily to maintain healthy blood pressure levels.
References
- "Today's Dietitian"; The Pressure's On: Increasing Potassium for Heart Health; Christen Cooper, M.S., R.D.
- American Heart Association: Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics: 2010 Update At-a-Glance
- "New England Journal of Medicine"; Sodium and Potassium in the Pathogenesis of Hypertension; Horacio J. Adrogue, M.D., et al.; May 2007
- "Journal of the American College of Nutrition"; Relationship and Interaction Between Sodium and Potassium; Curtis Morris, et al.; January 2006
- Dietary Reference Intakes: Electrolytes and Water
