Potassium intake to regulate sodium excretion? Don’t forget the anion.

In the context of cardiovascular health, potassium has long been the forgotten cation,
overshadowed by sodium occupying the “superior” position in the alkali metal series,
Group 1 of the periodic table of elements. Epidemiological and interventional clinical
trials are beginning to shift the dial, revealing health benefits of diets rich in potassium.
The physiological mechanisms are not fully resolved. In this issue of Acta Physiologica
a study by Vitzhum and colleagues shows that increasing dietary potassium intake in
mice reduces the sensitivity of the distal nephron to the sodium-retaining hormone
aldosterone. Intriguingly, the accompanying anion may be the critical factor.