Hyperkalemic cardiac arrhythmia resulting from short-term ingestion of potassium citrate for the management of ureter stones

Potassium content of the American food supply and implications for the management of hyperkalemia in dialysis: An analysis of the Branded Product Database

Ultraprocessed foods can be a source of potassium additives. Excess potassium consumption can lead to hyperkalemia. How frequently potassium additives are found in the food supply and how they impact potassium content is not well documented. Using the Branded Product Database, ingredient lists were searched for "potassium" to identify products containing additives. For products listing potassium content, accuracy of potassium content reporting and how potassium content differed with additive use was also assessed. A total of 239,089 products were included, 35,102 (14.7%) contained potassium additives, and 13,685 (5.7%) provided potassium content. Potassium additives were most commonly found in dairy products, supplements, and mixed foods (at 37%, 34%, and 28%, respectively). Potassium additives in mixed foods and vegetables and fruits were associated with 71% and 28% more potassium per serving, respectively (p < 0.01). Potassium content increased by 1874 mg (66%) when a 1-day sample menu compared foods with and without additives. Potassium content of foods with and without additives is not well documented. Potassium additives are prevalent and can be associated with increased potassium content. However, more information is needed to better understand how different additives used in different foods change potassium content.

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) Renders Alkalinizing Properties and Its Urinary Metabolic Markers of MSG Consumption in Rats

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is widely used as a flavor enhancer and its effects on human health are still debated. We aimed to investigate whether MSG can act as alkalinizing agent in murine models and if its metabolites are biomarkers of MSG consumption. For this purpose, adult male Wistar rats were given water added with 1 g% MSG or three types of control water, including sodium chloride (NaCl) and sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃). At 14 days, urinary pH, electrolytes, urinary metabolites and ion-exchanger gene expression were determined. The results revealed that MSG-treated rats had significantly more alkaline urine and higher levels of urinary sodium and bicarbonate similar to NaHCO₃ controls. These changes correlated with a lower expression of ion-exchanger genes, namely, CAII, NBC1, and AE1, which are involved in bicarbonate kidney reabsorption. The urinary metabolic profiles also revealed similar patterns for the MSG and NaHCO₃ groups. In conclusion, MSG exhibits similar properties to NaHCO₃, an alkalinizing agent, with regard to inducing alkaline urine, reducing bicarbonate kidney reabsorption, and generating a specific urinary metabolic pattern. We believe that these observations will be useful to further study the MSG effects in humans.