Low Zinc Levels Increase Risk of Hypertension

Low zinc levels may contribute to high blood pressure by changing the way the kidneys handle sodium. In this study, researchers compared male mice with zinc deficiency to mice with healthy zinc levels and found that the zinc-deficient mice were more likely to develop high blood pressure with a corresponding decrease in urinary sodium excretion. When the zinc-deficient mice were fed a zinc-rich diet and reached adequate levels, the rodents’ blood pressure decreased and their urinary sodium levels increased. American Journal of Physiology-Renal Physiology, January 2019