If your doctor has told you to lower your blood pressure, you might want to consider buying bananas in bulk. A new study suggests potassium can lower blood pressure, even if your sodium intake is high.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, nearly half of adults in the United States have high blood pressure, or hypertension, which increases the risk of stroke, heart disease and other serious complications.
Researchers from the University of Waterloo in Ontario wanted to see if a monkey’s favorite fruit offers a simple solution.
The team used computer models to simulate the effect of potassium and sodium on blood pressure throughout the body. They accounted for biological differences between men and women. They then ran simulations, factoring in varying levels of potassium and sodium intake and types of hypertension. Each model evaluated the interactions between the kidneys, heart, digestive system and regulatory systems.
The researchers found that high sodium intake raised blood pressure in men and women while high potassium intake reduced it.
Doubling the dose of potassium lowered blood pressure by up to 14 millimeters of mercury in men and 10 millimeters of mercury in women. That’s about the same reduction that many who take blood pressure medications achieve.
Even when sodium intake remained high, potassium still did its job to prevent blood pressure spikes. The researchers suggested that, in the long term, increasing potassium can help your body eliminate more sodium.
So the next time you find yourself staring into the bottom of an empty potato chip bag, make a banana — maybe two — your next snack.
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