Response to potassium load

Response to increasing potassium intake from 100 to 400 meq/day in normal subjects. Urinary potassium excretion rises to over 300 meq/day within two days, a response that is driven by increases in both aldosterone release and the plasma potassium concentration. By day 20, potassium excretion is almost 400 meq/day, the plasma aldosterone level is near normal, and there is only a small rise in the plasma potassium concentration to 4.2 meq/L.