Table 2.

Predicted outcomes of consuming diets with different Na⁺-to-K⁺ ratios

I Processed Food Western Diet (high Na+-low K+)	II Reduced-Na+ Western Diet (low Na+-low K+)	III K+-Enriched Western Diet (high Na+-high K+)	IV Recommended DASH Diet (low Na+-high K+)
↓ Renin, ANG II	↑ Renin, ANG II	↑ Aldo	↑ Renin, ANG II, Aldo
↑ NCC activity	↑ NCC activity	↓NCC activity	↓ NCC activity
↓ ENaC activity	↓ ENaC activity	↑ ENaC activity	↑ ENaC activity
K+ retention	K+ retention	K+ excretion	K+ excretion
Na+ retention	Na+ retention	Na+ excretion	Na+ excretion
↑ Blood pressure	← → Blood pressure	↓ Blood pressure	↓ Blood pressure

Raising dietary K⁺ provokes a decrease in NCC activity, independent of dietary Na⁺, which provokes an increase in NCC activity, independent of dietary Na⁺. ANG II, angiotensin II; NCC, Na⁺-Cl⁻ cotransporter; ENaC, epithelial Na⁺ channel; Aldo, aldosterone.