The blood pressure lowering effects of potassium citrate are similar to the effects of potassium chloride, the best-studied potassium compound. Researchers from the St. George's Hospital Medical School in London found that the important role of potassium in regulating blood pressure has been demonstrated in carefully controlled studies using potassium chloride and inactive placebo tablets. But it has not been clear that how far other potassium salts lower blood pressure. These results support other evidence for an increase in potassium intake and indicate that potassium does not need to be given in the form of chloride to lower blood pressure. Increasing the consumption of foods high in potassium is likely to have the same effect on blood pressure as potassium chloride. The researchers compared the effects of potassium chloride or potassium citrate on blood pressure in 14 adults with hypertension, with blood pressure readings above 140/90. The participants took one compound for 1 week, then waited a week, and then took the other for a week. Average blood pressure at the start of the study was 151/93. It fell significantly to 140/88 with potassium chloride and to 138/88 mm Hg with potassium citrate. The study shows that potassium citrate is as effective as potassium chloride, and this supports the evidence that the main effect of increasing fruit and vegetable intake on blood pressure is due to the increase in potassium intake.
Hypertension,
April 2005