People that enjoy a diet high in potassium may be at a lower risk of developing a stroke, compared to counterparts who consume less amounts of the mineral.
A review of 10 international studies involving nearly 270,000 middle-aged and older adults showed Swedish scientists that stroke risk decreased as people's reported potassium intake went up.
According to the results, every 1,000-milligram (mg) increase in daily potassium intake were associated with one percent lower odds of stroke in the next five to 14 years, the scientists wrote in the journal Stroke.
"Dietary potassium intake is inversely associated with risk of stroke," wrote lead researcher Susanna Larsson, of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm.
Since high-potassium foods are generally healthy ones, including beans, a variety of fruits and vegetables, and low-fat dairy, the findings offer one more reason for people to eat more of them, Larsson told Reuters Health.
Potassium is an electrolyte needed for maintaining the body's fluid balance, and is also involved in nerve and muscle control, and blood pressure regulation. Studies suggest that high-potassium diet helps maintain a healthy blood pressure and possibly protect against heart disease and stroke.
The researchers said that the mineral was specifically associated with a lower risk of ischemic strokes, those caused by a blockage in an artery feeding the brain, which account for about 80 percent of strokes.
However, potassium was not linked to lower odds of hemorrhagic strokes, which occur when there is bleeding in the brain, Larsson and her team added.
If potassium protects against ischemic stroke only, that would suggest there are reasons other than better blood pressure control, the researchers suggested.
SJM/MB