Does a potassium-rich diet improve cardiovascular health?
Too much salt in your diet may lead to high blood pressure. Professor Robert Fenton from Aarhus University will now investigate whether – and possibly why – a potassium-rich diet can have the opposite effect. The Novo Nordisk Foundation supports the project with a Distinguished Investigator Grant of almost DKK ten million.
![[Translate to English:] Med bevillingen kan Robert Fenton øge sit fokus på dataindsamling samtidig med, at han udvider sine forskningskompetencer og udvikler de internationale samarbejder, der er centrale for den næste fase af hans forskningsplaner. Fo](/fileadmin/_processed_/b/a/csm_Foto_Robert_Fenton_fotograf_Jann_Thiele_Zeiss_04052021_7aa3ffc07c.jpg "[Translate to English:] Med bevillingen kan Robert Fenton øge sit fokus på dataindsamling samtidig med, at han udvider sine forskningskompetencer og udvikler de internationale samarbejder, der er centrale for den næste fase af hans forskningsplaner. Fo")
High blood pressure affects billions of people all over the world, and it is the largest single contributing risk factor associated with disability and premature death.
International studies suggest that potassium deficiency increases blood pressure – just as is the case with a high consumption of salt (sodium chloride) in the diet. Robert Fenton and his research team are therefore working at molecular level to investigate whether potassium-rich diets consisting of e.g. bananas, fish and avocado can help improve cardiovascular health.
The research project is multidisciplinary, involving clinical collaborations which can convert research results from mice in the laboratory to patients in hospitals and in general practice. The goal is to contribute to the development of new medicines for patients with high blood pressure.
The grant of DKK 9,991,361 will run over the next five years.
Contact
Professor & PhD Robert Fenton
Aarhus University, Department of Biomedicine
Mobile: (+45) 28 99 21 49
Email: robert.a.fenton@biomed.au.dk