A new mouse study recently published shows Potassium may protect against vascular calcification (hardening of the arteries). Additionally increased aortic stiffness was also seen in the mouse model when compared with normal Potassium fed mice. Arterial stiffness in humans is usually a predictor of heart disease and cardiovascular mortality.
Mice prone to atherosclerosis were fed a diet with low (.3% by weight), normal (.7% by weight) or high (2.1% by weight) levels of Potassium. The study lasted 30 weeks. Researchers found that mice fed a diet low in Potassium had a significant increase in vascular calcification and mice feed a diet high in Potassium had noticeably reduced levels of vascular calcification. Increased aortic stiffness as using pulse wave velocity measured by echocardiography in live animals was seen in the mice fed a diet low in Potassium. The three different levels of dietary Potassium were seen in the serum blood levels of Potassium taken from the three different groups.
Researchers found even a small change in mean serum potassium levels when compared to the group in the normal level of dietary Potassium supplementation caused changes in both vascular calcification and arterial stiffness. Researchers also believe that this study established a potential causative role of Potassium intake in the regulation of atherosclerotic vascular calcification and stiffness. This opens the door for a new strategy for controlling vascular disease.
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