Nutritional modulation of mineralocorticoid and prostaglandin production: potential role in prevention and treatment of gastric pathology

Abstract

Various lines of evidence indicate that aldosterone and prostaglandins may play physiological roles in protecting the gastric mucosa. This would suggest that low-sodium, high-potassium diets, and supplementation with essential fatty acids that are efficient prostaglandin precursors (as in evening primrose oil), may have value in the prevention and treatment of gastric ulcer and gastritis. A low-sodium, high-potassium diet may also reduce the risk of gastric cancer.