Increased consumption of potassium-rich foods as part of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet did not lead to dangerous increases in blood potassium levels among adults taking medications to lower blood pressure, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association's Hypertension Scientific Sessions 2026. The findings are significant because certain blood pressure medications, including ACE inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, potassium-sparing diuretics, and beta blockers, as well as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), can raise potassium levels. High potassium, or hyperkalemia, can disrupt heart rhythm and is particularly risky for people with kidney disease.
The study, a secondary analysis of the GoFresh and GoFreshRx randomized trials, included 356 Black adults with high blood pressure, average age 53, who were enrolled in Boston between August 2022 and September 2026. Half received three months of weekly DASH-patterned groceries and nutrition counseling, while the other half received a monetary stipend to buy their own groceries. Blood potassium levels were measured at baseline and after 12 weeks. The average baseline serum potassium was normal: 4.16 mmol/L in the grocery intervention group and 4.18 mmol/L in the stipend group. After three months, there was no significant increase in potassium levels in either group, and no differences among subgroups taking ACE inhibitors/ARBs, potassium-sparing diuretics, beta blockers, or NSAIDs.
"The DASH diet is a well-known, proven nutrition pattern that is known to improve blood pressure," said Marian Budu, M.B.B.S., M.P.H., a clinical research coordinator on the GoFresh Trials at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, and the presenting author. "However, dangerous potassium levels can occur in people taking blood pressure medications and NSAIDs. Knowing that the DASH diet did not increase blood potassium levels in this population with normal baseline potassium levels provides assurance that the DASH diet can be prescribed to a wide range of people."
The DASH diet emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and low-fat dairy, and limits red meat, salt, and added sugars. It aligns with the American Heart Association's 2026 Dietary Guidance to Improve Cardiovascular Health. The study's results suggest that the DASH diet can be safely recommended even for those on medications that might otherwise raise potassium, but the authors note limitations: the study excluded people with stage 4 or 5 kidney disease or elevated baseline potassium, and only included Black adults in Boston, so generalizability is limited.
Kevin Volpp, M.D., Ph.D., a volunteer expert with the American Heart Association and scientific lead of the Association's Health Care by Food initiative, commented, "This follow-up study is important because it confirms that significant increases in potassium did not occur with the DASH diet, even for patients on medications that might contribute to increased potassium levels. Managing and monitoring potassium levels is key because they have a direct impact on heart function." Dr. Volpp was not involved in the study.
The findings are considered preliminary until published as a full manuscript in a peer-reviewed journal. The abstracts will be available in the Hypertension Scientific Sessions 2026 Supplement of the Hypertension journal on Nov. 17, 2026. The research was funded by the American Heart Association, and the Association's overall financial information is available here. Additional resources include the full release link and a primer on potassium at A Primer on Potassium. The American Heart Association provides more information at heart.org and stroke.org.
