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Sodium vs Potassium Education to Improve Vascular Health

Improving Vascular Health Using Nutrition Education Aimed At Increasing Potassium Intake Versus Reducing Sodium Intake

Who can join

Ages 18 to 45 · All sexes · Healthy volunteers welcome

Inclusion Criteria:

* Willing and able to attend in-person laboratory visits
* Usual sodium intake ≥3,000 mg/d for females and ≥4,000 mg/d for males
* Usual potassium intake ≤2,500 mg/d in females and ≤3,000 mg/d in males

Exclusion Criteria:

* BMI ≥35 kg/m2
* Seated blood pressure ≥130/80 mmHg
* Current diagnosis or history of diabetes, renal disease, cancer, cardiovascular disease, or major cardiovascular event (e.g. heart attack or stroke)
* Current or recent use of a diuretic (within the past 6 months)
* Elevated blood lipids (LDL cholesterol ≥190 mg/dL)
* Elevated serum potassium level (\>5.1 mmol/L)
* Elevated BUN (\>22 mg/dL)
* Elevated creatinine (\>1.2 mg/dL)
* Low eGFR (\<90 mL/min/1.73 m²)
* Current or recent use of tobacco, nicotine, or illicit drugs
* Radical hysterectomy or oophorectomy (females)\*
* Pregnant or lactating
* Following a weight-loss diet, or intending to gain or lose weight during the study period

About the study

The goal of this clinical trial is to determine if a self-selected high potassium diet is easier to achieve and more effective at improving vascular health than a low sodium diet in generally healthy young adults who typically consume more than the recommended amount of sodium. The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. Is it easier for young adults to increase their potassium intake, rather than reduce their sodium intake? 2. Is a self-selected high potassium diet better at improving vascular health compared to a self-selected low sodium diet?

Researchers will compare the effectiveness of an education-based intervention centered only on increasing dietary potassium intake against an education-based intervention centered only on reducing dietary sodium intake.

Participants will be randomly assigned to receive comprehensive dietary education on adopting either a high-potassium diet or a low-sodium diet.

Education will be delivered in four weekly one-on-one sessions. Following the four-week education period, participants will be encouraged to change their diet based on what they have learned. Measures of dietary compliance (urine samples and diet records) and cardiovascular health (blood pressure, endothelial function) will be assessed at two, four, and six months post-education.

What is being tested

• High potassium dietary education/counseling (behavioral)
• Low sodium dietary education/counseling (behavioral)

Sponsor: Florida State University · Participants: 32 · Started: Apr 20, 2026

Contact the study team

• Andrea Lobene, PhD, RD, LD · Phone: 850-644-1829
• FSU Ann's College · Phone: 850-644-6685

Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT07221448

Locations in the U.S.

From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 30, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.