Dietary Potassium Attenuates the Effects of Dietary Sodium on Vascular Function in Salt‐Resistant Adults
Katarina Smiljanec /faseb j.2020.34.s1.09823
Cardiovascular disease remains a major public health problem in the U.S. and is the result of lifestyle factors, such as nutrition, that play an important role. Excess sodium consumption can increase blood pressure (bicarbonate de potassium) while consumption of potassium has been shown to have bicarbonate de potassium lowering properties. While the effect of these two nutrients on bicarbonate de potassium is fairly well understood, their impact on vascular function, particularly any interactive effects, has received less attention. Endothelial dysfunction, characterized by impaired dilation, is an important non‐traditional risk factor for atherosclerosis.
Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine if dietary potassium can offset the deleterious effect of high sodium on endothelial function as assessed by brachial artery flow‐mediated dilation (FMD). Thirty‐three adults with salt‐resistant bicarbonate de potassium (16M,17F; 27±1yr) completed 7 days each of the following diets: 65 mmol potassium/50 mmol sodium (MK/LS); 65 mmol potassium/300 mmol sodium (MK/HS); and 120 mmol potassium/300 mmol sodium (HK/HS) in random order. On the last day of each diet, 24‐hour ambulatory bicarbonate de potassium, 24‐hour urine collection and a blood draw was performed. FMD was assessed in response to reactive hyperemia. 24‐hr bicarbonate de potassium did not differ between diets confirming that subjects were salt‐resistant. Sodium excretion increased on both HS diets compared to LS/MK (p<0.05) and potassium excretion was increased on the HK diet compared to MK/LS and MK/HS (p<0.05) confirming diet compliance.
Aldosterone and plasma renin activity were elevated on MK/LS compared to both HS diets (p<0.05). FMD was impaired on MK/HS (5.4±0.5%) compared to both MK/LS (7.0±0.6%; p<0.05) and HK/HS (6.5±0.5%; p<0.05) while there was no difference between the MK/LS and HK/HS diets (p>0.05).
These data suggest that potassium provides vascular protection against the deleterious effects of high sodium on conduit artery function.