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Interactive Effects of Sodium and Potassium on Vascular Health in Older Adults

Exploring the Interactive Effects of Sodium and Potassium Intake on Vascular Health in Older Adults

Who can join

Ages 55 to 75 · All sexes · Healthy volunteers welcome

Inclusion Criteria:

* Adults ages 55-75 years
* At least one-year post-menopause (females)
* Willing and able to attend laboratory visits

Exclusion Criteria:

* BMI ≥35 kg/m2
* Seated blood pressure \>135/85 mmHg
* Current diagnosis or history of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, renal disease, cancer, or major cardiovascular event (e.g. heart attack or stroke)
* Taking exogenous hormones or hormone replacement therapy
* Following a vegan or gluten free diet
* Significant weight loss (\>10% of body weight) in the last 6 months, or actively trying to lose weight
* Current or recent use of a diuretic (within the past 6 months) (e.g. spironolactone, eplerenone)
* Current or recent use of a potassium binding medication (within the past 6 months)
* Current use of blood pressure lowering medications (e.g. ACE inhibitors, calcium channel blockers, diuretics, vasodilators, beta blockers, AngII receptor blockers)
* Current or recent use of the medication trimethoprim
* 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)

About the study

The goal of this clinical trial is to determine if a high potassium intake can counteract the harmful effects of excess sodium on endothelial function in older adults with no history of cardiometabolic disease. The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. Can a high potassium intake attenuate dietary sodium-induced endothelial dysfunction in older adults. 2. Do changes in endothelial function in response to alterations in sodium and potassium intake differ by sex.

Participants will participants will consume three controlled diets for 10 days each with a minimum 14-day washout between interventions. The order in which participants consume the diets will be randomized. The study diets will vary in sodium and potassium content. Measures of cardiovascular health (blood pressure, arterial stiffness, endothelial function) will be assessed at the end of each diet.

What is being tested

• low sodium/low potassium diet (other)
• high sodium/low potassium diet (other)
• high sodium/high potassium diet (other)

Sponsor: Florida State University · Participants: 30 · Started: Mar 24, 2026

Contact the study team

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

Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT07649005

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.