{"id":36931,"date":"2021-07-21T09:30:34","date_gmt":"2021-07-21T13:30:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=36931"},"modified":"2025-10-28T11:34:48","modified_gmt":"2025-10-28T15:34:48","slug":"potassium-and-blood-pressure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/potassium-and-blood-pressure\/","title":{"rendered":"Does potassium affect your blood pressure?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hypertension\u2014a blood pressure <\/span>above 130 systolic\/80 diastolic<\/span><\/a>\u2014is sneaky. It often doesn\u2019t have any symptoms. When it does, the signs are easily confused for other things. You can feel dizzy, lightheaded, or have a pounding sensation in your head or chest. That\u2019s why regular screenings for high blood pressure are incredibly important. The condition can cause heart disease, heart attacks, kidney disease, or even stroke when unnoticed and untreated.<\/span><\/p>\n

Luckily, when diagnosed there are many simple changes you can make to decrease your blood pressure. There are often more options than just taking <\/span>antihypertensive medications<\/span><\/a>. Some of the most effective strategies are lifestyle changes, which include exercise, weight loss, quitting smoking, and eating a balanced diet\u2014complete with the right amounts of certain vitamins and minerals. That includes decreasing salt intake and making sure you\u2019re getting enough potassium. What\u2019s the connection between potassium and blood pressure? It\u2019s a powerhouse mineral that helps relax your vascular system, which lowers your blood pressure.<\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/b>Is salt bad for you?<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

How does potassium lower blood pressure?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Potassium and blood pressure have an inverse relationship to one another. \u201cPatients with elevated potassium [tend to] have lower blood pressure, and patients who have low potassium [tend to] have an elevated blood pressure,\u201d says <\/span>Craig Beavers, Pharm.D.<\/span><\/a>, a member of the American College of Cardiology (ACC)\u2019s Cardiovascular Team Section and Leadership Council and director of cardiovascular services at Baptist Health Paducah. Why? It has to do with the relationship between electrolytes and fluid in your body.<\/span><\/p>\n

Potassium, sodium, and magnesium are all examples of electrolytes that help maintain the proper fluid and blood volume balance in your body. The role of sodium in high blood pressure is well-known. Too much salt can result in elevated blood pressure in susceptible individuals. Low potassium intake can have the same effect.<\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s because potassium helps kick sodium out of your system. The more potassium you eat, the more sodium you lose through your urine, according to the <\/span>American Heart Association<\/span><\/a>. If you\u2019ve got a lot of sodium in your system, it can lead to fluid retention\u2014\u00a0and that makes your heart work harder because there\u2019s more fluid to push around. That harder work raises your blood pressure and increases your risk for cardiovascular disease.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re losing sodium [by increasing potassium], you\u2019re also losing some water,\u201d says <\/span>Dave Dixon, Pharm.D.<\/span><\/a>, member of ACC\u2019s Prevention Section and Leadership Council, and Interim Chair of the Department of Pharmacotherapy and Outcomes Science at VCU School of Pharmacy. \u201cBy getting rid of that extra volume or fluid, it\u2019s going to help your body maintain a little bit better blood pressure. Potassium also helps your blood vessels relax a little bit more, and since the blood vessels are more relaxed, the pressure inside them is lower.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/b>What causes hypokalemia (low potassium)?<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

How much potassium do you need to lower blood pressure?<\/span><\/h2>\n

For the average adult, a healthy potassium intake is between 3,500 and 4,700 milligrams per day. Unfortunately, the typical diet in the U.S. offers too much sodium and not enough potassium. The first step to decreasing your risk factors for hypertension is decreasing salty food intake and adding potassium-rich foods to your diet. It is a good idea to have your labs checked with your physician to see if you are deficient in potassium or have elevated levels, which can happen with chronic kidney disease.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What should you eat to increase potassium?<\/span><\/h3>\n

The best way to increase your levels is through dietary potassium, meaning from the food you\u2019re eating. Try adding more of these foods to your high-potassium diet:<\/span><\/p>\n