Value of Liquid Potassium Magnesium Citrate in Controlling Hypertension

In this protocol, the investigators want to explore whether KMgCit taken during a customary dietary setting, might serve as a "surrogate" for the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet to lower blood pressure. This study has obvious biomedical importance. Lifestyle modifications are often recommended for pre- or Stage I hypertension. The DASH diet is such a modification that has been shown to be effective. However, this diet is costly and difficult to adhere to long-term. If KMgCit were shown to be effective in lowering blood pressure, it would provide a safe and convenient alternative to the DASH diet.

Inclusion criteria

• Men or women > 21 years of age
• Any Race/Ethnicity
• Pre- or Stage I hypertension (BP >= 120/80 and <= 159/99)

Exclusion criteria

• Diabetes mellitus
• Renal impairment (serum creatinine > 1.4 mg/dL)
• Any heart diseases such as congestive heart failure or sustained arrhythmia
• Chronic NSAID use
• Treatment with diuretics
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) requiring treatment with acid reducing agents or antacid more than once a week
• Esophageal-gastric ulcer
• Chronic diarrhea
• Hyperkalemia (serum > 4.6 meq/L for patients on angiotension-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), serum K > 5.0 meq/L for patient not on ACE inhibitors or ARBs)
• Abnormal liver function test (aspartate transaminase (AST) or alanine transaminase (ALT) above upper limit of normal range)
• Subjects who require any potassium supplement on a regular basis from any reasons
• Pregnancy
• History of major depression, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia