Menopause & High Blood Pressure

When I first started perimenopause in my late 40’s, my blood pressure skyrocketed. It was very alarming, considering my blood pressure had always been in the normal range. I didn’t want to go on medication, so I experimented with a wide variety of supplements like hawthorn berry extract, beetroot extract, L-arginine, and many others. My blood pressure came down a bit but it was still hovering around 140/100. I was on the verge of asking my doctor to prescribe beta blockers when I stumbled upon a video by Dr. Berg talking about the role of potassium for lowering blood pressure.

To make a long story short, the potassium did the trick! I credit potassium for being the only supplement to lower my blood pressure to a healthy average of 120/70. And it worked very quickly, with noticeable effects within a week or so.

Read on to learn more about how potassium can lower blood pressure as well as bring many additional health benefits for women going through menopause.

The Role of Potassium in Managing High Blood Pressure

If you have high blood pressure (hypertension), you’ve likely heard that reducing sodium in your diet can help lower your numbers. But did you know that increasing your potassium intake can similarly support your heart health? Higher potassium consumption is linked to lower systolic blood pressure, which reduces the risk of life-threatening cardiovascular events like stroke, heart attack, heart disease, and heart failure. Researchers from the Netherlands found that this positive effect is particularly strong in women with the highest sodium intake.

Understanding the Importance of Potassium

To understand these findings, Dr. Maria Carolina Delgado-Lelievre, a cardiologist specializing in preventive cardiology at the University of Miami Health System, explains the significance of potassium in the body. Her research on potassium and hypertension was groundbreaking, illustrating how intracellular potassium serves as a marker for the genetic risk of hypertension.

What Does Potassium Do?

“Potassium is an essential element in the function of all of our cells, especially those responsible for cardiovascular health,” says Dr. Delgado-Lelievre. “More than 95% of the total body potassium is inside the cell. In both men and women, potassium contributes to normal cell function, especially in cells involved in blood pressure control.”

When potassium levels within the cells are low, the lining of blood vessels (endothelium) malfunctions, leading to abnormal blood pressure and an increased risk for arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat) and stroke. Potassium depletion commonly affects hypertensive individuals, with the severity depending on factors such as genetics, diet, medications, and hormonal imbalances, including perimenopause and menopause.

Why is Potassium Especially Important for Women?

As women age and go through menopause, their natural estrogen levels decline, increasing the risk of developing hypertension and cardiovascular disease. “Because low natural estrogen levels impair vascular function, many women will realize they are hypertensive during perimenopause and menopause,” Dr. Delgado-Lelievre explains. “If a woman in this condition also has potassium depletion, the added effect on blood vessel function is exponentially worse compared to men their age. This is why increasing potassium intake can improve vascular function, especially in menopausal women.”

Are You Getting Enough Potassium?

“The American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guidelines emphasize the importance of dietary potassium intake, recommending 3,500 to 5,000 milligrams per day,” says Dr. Delgado-Lelievre. “It is extremely important for cardiologists and general physicians to inform patients that maintaining healthy body potassium content is essential for normal vascular function, better blood pressure control, and the prevention of cardiovascular disease.”

Don’t Ignore Your Salt Intake

“To help reduce blood pressure, we need to both consume more potassium and decrease our salt intake,” Dr. Delgado-Lelievre advises. “The ACC/AHA guidelines recommend a healthy dietary plan that includes a reduction in dietary sodium (less than 1,500 milligrams per day, or at least a 1,000 mg/d reduction) along with an increased intake of dietary potassium (3,500 to 5,000 mg/d).”

Symptoms of Low Potassium in Menopausal Women

Women may experience the following symptoms if they have low potassium levels (hypokalemia):

• Extreme fatigue and weakness

• Painful and disruptive muscle contractions and spasms

• Heart palpitations or abnormal heart rhythms

• Digestive problems, including constipation

• Mood changes, leading to irritability, depression, or anxiety

Causes of Low Potassium in Menopausal Women

Several factors can lead to low potassium levels in women, including:

• Lack of Potassium-Rich Foods in Diet: Inadequate consumption of potassium-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, and legumes.

• Fluid Loss: Excessive fluid loss due to sweating, vomiting, or diarrhea.

• Medications: Certain medications, such as diuretics and some antibiotics, can cause potassium depletion as a side effect.

• Hormonal Changes: Hormonal fluctuations during menopause can affect potassium levels.

• Kidney Issues: Kidney problems can interfere with the body’s ability to retain potassium.

Treatments for Low Potassium in Females

Addressing low potassium levels may involve the following treatments:

• Dietary Changes: Increasing the intake of potassium-rich foods like bananas, oranges, tomatoes, spinach, and avocados.

• Potassium Supplements: Healthcare providers may prescribe potassium supplements to restore normal levels. It’s important to take supplements under medical supervision to avoid complications.

• Medication Adjustments: If medications are causing potassium depletion, consult a healthcare professional to adjust or change the prescription.

• Managing Underlying Conditions: Addressing and managing underlying health conditions, such as kidney disease, is crucial.

• Intravenous (IV) Potassium: In severe cases, when potassium levels are dangerously low or oral supplements are not well-tolerated, healthcare providers may administer potassium intravenously.

How I Supplement Potassium

As mentioned earlier, the recommended intake of potassium is 3,500 to 5,000 milligrams per day. That’s a lot to get from diet alone. For example, bananas are one of the most potassium-rich foods. But one medium banana only has about 420 mg of potassium. Most of us are not going to eat 10 bananas a day!

Because it’s difficult to get enough potassium through diet alone, I choose to supplement to my daily intake. However, the potassium tablets that you can buy over the counter or on Amazon have an upper limit of only 99 mg. The reason potassium tablets have a limit is because sometimes they get stuck and can cause stomach lesions (yikes!) It's very rare, but the FDA insists that potassium tablets remain under 100mg.

Instead of the low dose potassium supplements, I buy Nu-Salt® from the grocery store for a couple dollars. Nu-Salt® contains 656 milligrams of potassium chloride per 1/4 tsp.

Start slow! Taking too much at one time can cause digestive issues. I add a little to my water and sip it throughout the day in addition to eating healthy potassium-rich foods like bananas and avocados.

Potassium Supplementation Warning:

At higher doses, muscle weakness, slowed heart rate, and abnormal heart rhythm may occur. Contact your doctor if you develop severe stomach pain, irregular heartbeat, chest pain, or other symptoms. People with hyperkalemia or kidney disease should not take potassium supplements.

The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult with your health care provider before starting potassium supplementation or any other dietary supplements.

Conclusion

Increasing potassium intake can significantly lower blood pressure, particularly during menopause when declining estrogen levels increase hypertension risk. Symptoms of low potassium in women include fatigue, muscle spasms, and heart palpitations. Causes range from poor diet to hormonal changes and medication side effects. Treatment involves dietary adjustments, supplements, and managing underlying conditions to maintain healthy potassium levels and support heart health.

I hope this helps!

Take care,

Sophia