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HEART HEALTH

Adding potassium and subtracting

sodium may equal better heart
health
March 1, 2022

By Kelly Bilodeau, Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch

Research we’re watching

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3/17/22, 1:21 PM Adding potassium and subtracting sodium may equal better heart health - Harvard Health

There continues to be some debate about the importance of reducing dietary salt to
lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. But a study published online Nov. 13, 2021, by
The New England Journal of Medicine strongly suggests that limiting sodium and
increasing potassium intake leads to better heart and blood vessel health.

Researchers from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health analyzed data from six
studies, which together included more than 10,000 healthy adults. Levels of sodium and
potassium in periodic urine samples were used to determine the relative amounts of
these chemicals in the participants’ diets (higher urine levels correlate with greater
intake of sodium and potassium). Researchers looked to see who went on to experience
a heart attack or stroke or had a procedure to open a clogged artery over a median
follow-up period of 8.8 years. During that time, 571 of the participants experienced one of
these cardiovascular events.

After controlling for other risk factors, the researchers found that for every extra 1,000
milligrams (mg) of sodium detected in the urine, there was an 18% increase in the risk of
cardiovascular disease. For every extra 1,000 mg of potassium in the urine, there was an
18% decrease in risk.

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3/17/22, 1:21 PM Adding potassium and subtracting sodium may equal better heart health - Harvard Health

The study shows the importance of taking steps to reduce your sodium intake. As long
as you have normal kidney function, it should also nudge you to incorporate more
potassium-rich foods into your diet. Good choices include bananas, leafy greens, dairy
products, and beans.

Image: © Nataliia Mysak/Getty Images

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