Evidence Level
Strong
The blood pressure-lowering effect of potassium is well-established. The WHO-commissioned meta-analysis by Aburto et al. (2013, 22 RCTs, n=1,606) confirmed that increased potassium intake reduces blood pressure in hypertensive adults without adverse effects on renal function or lipids. The DASH diet, which emphasizes potassium-rich foods, lowers BP comparably to first-line antihypertensive drugs. For kidney stones, a landmark trial by Ettinger et al. (1997, n=64) found potassium citrate reduced stone recurrence by 85% over 3 years compared to placebo.