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Potassium Controls Vascular Calcification

Dr. Eric Berg 06/25/2021

Potassium can influence how much calcium builds up in your arteries. Here’s what you should know.

Timestamps

0:00 Potassium and calcium

0:10 How to know if you have calcium in your arteries

0:28 Research

0:53 How much potassium do you need?

1:15 How potassium influences calcium build-up?

I found some interesting research on how potassium can influence how much calcium builds up in your arteries.

This study showed for the first time that low dietary potassium promotes vascular calcification, aortic stiffness, and thickness within the coronary arteries. This study was done on mice.

One of the best tests to help determine if you have calcium in your arteries is the CAC test. This test is probably one of the best predictors of overall mortality.

Most people don’t get the amount of potassium they need. The average person needs about 4,700 milligrams of potassium every day. To get that, you need to consume a good amount of dietary potassium.

Calcium and potassium work together. When you’re low in potassium, calcium tends to build up on the inside of the cells. If a person is getting high blood pressure, they need to start looking at their potassium. I have found that people who have more potassium do much better with their blood pressure. Vitamin D may also help lower blood pressure.

I think a lack of potassium is part of the problem. But, I think another problem is inflammation in the arteries. For the calcium to start depositing on the inside of the artery, there first has to be inflammation.

Usually, the inflammation will come from some type of oxidation in combination with low antioxidants. This could happen from consuming too many refined flour products and sugar.

CAC Test ➜ ➜ https://youtu.be/hXZjOXLyA2g