Hypertension, more commonly known as high blood pressure, is a medical condition that occurs when your blood pressure consistently measures greater than 140 mmHg for the systolic pressure or greater than 90 mmHg for the diastolic pressure. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that one of every three adults in the United States suffers from hypertension, a disturbing statistic since hypertension increases your risk for heart disease. Low potassium levels and salt sensitivity both contribute to the onset of high blood pressure.
Salt Sensitivity
Doctors determine salt sensitivity as a measure of how your blood pressure responds to a decrease in salt intake. A 2001 study supported by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute estimates that 58 percent of Americans with hypertension suffer from salt sensitivity. Salt, most commonly consumed as sodium chloride, attracts water. As the amount of salt in your body increases so does the amount of water, which increases your blood volume. To propel the increased volume of blood, your body increases your blood pressure. This study also found that 26 percent of Americans with normal blood pressure suffer from salt sensitivity and salt sensitivity increases the risk for death, even in the absence of hypertension. This supports the guidelines set by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans for everyone to control their salt intake.
Potassium
Potassium, another essential mineral, works with sodium to balance the amount of fluid in the body. The Colorado State University Extension reports that researchers have found evidence that potassium may play a role in decreasing blood pressure. Although doctors may not yet fully understand the mechanism of action, increased amounts of potassium in your blood helps your body excrete more sodium. A low potassium level therefore increases the risk for hypertension.
Potassium Level
The American Heart Association recognizes the importance of meeting the daily recommended intake for potassium set by the Institute of Medicine as 4,700 mg per day. In the case of potassium, the dietary reference intake is the adequate intake that describes the amount of potassium needed per day to lower blood pressure, reduce salt sensitivity and reduce the risk for kidney stones, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. Although many foods contain potassium, including fruits like bananas and cantaloupe and vegetables like potatoes and spinach, the typical American diet contains three times more sodium than potassium.
Recommended Salt Intake
Salt, or sodium chloride, is one of the main nutrients the Dietary Guidelines for Americans urges you to decrease. Contrary to popular belief, only a small portion of your salt intake comes from adding salt to foods at the table. Many processed foods, like lunch meats, prepared cheese and canned vegetables, contain a significant amount of salt. Prepackaged baked foods also contain a high salt content because the salt helps preserve food by restricting the growth of bacteria and fungi. To reduce the effects of salt sensitivity on your health, limit your salt intake to less than 2,300 mg per day, set by the Institute of Medicine as the tolerable upper intake level. Doctors urge patients, especially those who suffer from hypertension, to reduce their salt intake even further to less than 1,500 mg per day.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; High Blood Pressure; March 2011
- National Heart Lung and Blood Institute: Study Shows New Link Between Salt Sensitivity and Risk of Death; February 2001
- U.S. Department of Agriculture; Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010-- Chapter 3; February 2011
- American Heart Association; Potassium and High Blood Pressure; January 2011
- Linus Pauling Institute; Potassium; Victoria Drake; December 2010
- Institute of Medicine Food and Nutrition Board; Dietary Reference Intake Summary; 2004
Member Comments