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A state of potassium tolerance has been produced in rats by the administration of a high potassium diet. Tolerant rats had an increased survival when subjected to continued potassium loads and an enhanced ability to excrete potassium. Tolerant animals also had a lower plasma potassium concentration than controls when subjected to similar potassium loads. Increased urinary¹excretion of potassium in tolerant animals was not dependent on sodium excretion but was accompanied by a reduced stool sodium/potassium ratio, suggesting increased mineralocorticoid activity.

Nephrectomised tolerant rats showed no significant difference in plasma potassium concentration after an acute load when compared to control animals and an extra‐renal mechanism for tolerance was not confirmed.

Potassium tolerance in the rat can be adequately explained by an enhanced ability to excrete potassium in the urine, and this …