Best Fit Profiles
- blood pressure management and cardiovascular risk reduction
Blood pressure and electrolyte balance
Potassium
Potassium has strong evidence for blood pressure reduction, particularly in the context of a high-sodium diet. The DASH diet's blood pressure effects are partly attributed to high potassium intake. Supplementation reduces BP by 3-5 mmHg in hypertensive individuals.
Evidence Level A
Evidence and Risk Labels
Evidence A/B/C reflects research maturity, and risk levels reflect monitoring needs. These labels support comparison, not diagnosis or treatment decisions.
See full scoring guideClinical Snapshot
- Effect Size
- Moderate, consistent blood pressure reduction; larger effect in sodium-high diets
- Safety
- Moderate Risk
Hyperkalemia can be life-threatening in kidney disease, use of ACE inhibitors, ARBs, or potassium-sparing diuretics. Supplemental potassium should be used cautiously — dietary sources preferred.
Research Dosing
This reflects common ranges and protocols used in published studies, not personal medical advice.
- Typical Daily Dose
- Up to 99 mg per supplement (OTC limit); dietary target is 3500-4700 mg/day
- Timing
- With meals to reduce GI irritation
- Protocol Duration in Studies
- Ongoing; assess serum potassium if supplementing above dietary sources
Food sources (bananas, avocado, sweet potato, beans) are preferred over high-dose supplements.