Writing in the journal Hypertension, Harvard School of Public Health's Dr. Frank Sacks says use of the mineral in correct proportions has been shown to lower blood pressure. He said that positive results came when potassium was taken in lower dosages or simply was present in diets.
In a study that looked at the blood pressure readings of women in the ongoing Nurses' Health Study, increased levels of potassium tended to lower those readings overall. However, the study says those individuals already taking average or high amounts of the mineral did not benefit from any increase in dosage.
Daily doses of potassium used in the study included 1,600 milligrams. Potassium was also used in combination with 1,200 milligrams of calcium and 336 milligrams of magnesium.
