The Power of Potassium
The intricacies and nuances of nutrition never cease to amaze me.
This is especially true when it comes to how one single nutrient can be needed in so many intersecting and separate pathways in the body. You may have read my blog on magnesium, but a mineral that leaves me in even greater awe is potassium.
Before graduate school, I had no idea of its true power and the fortitude it can take to get enough in the diet. The amount most of us need in a day can’t be supplemented. By default, adding potassium means eating a rainbow of foods daily that happen to provide an array of nutrients and all-important phytonutrients (i.e., the compounds that protect plants and give them color).
What does it do?
The basics: Potassium is essential for the balance of cellular fluid and is needed in all body tissues (especially muscle cells) to keep them healthy.(1,2) It’s a counterpart to sodium in a special cellular pump, and like two people on a see-saw, three sodium ions are pumped out of the cell, and two potassium ions are pumped into the cell.(2) This ongoing balance is key to keeping cells energized and functioning well.(2)
Potassium can leak out of the cell as needed, but sodium cannot leave without help: it needs potassium on the other end of the see-saw to push it back out.(3) This is why too much salt and not enough potassium can cause problems. As a simple example, think about what happens when we eat too much salt…water follows salt everywhere, so in this case, that uncomfortable bloating may be a sign for you to eat something high in potassium and not just drink more water. Or, you may be familiar with how diuretics are often prescribed to flush out sodium and water to lower blood volume and, thus, blood pressure. The balance is key.
Why do I need it?
Potassium is for life, so much so that getting enough may increase lifespan.(1) Most Americans get so little that it is considered a “short fall” nutrient and a public health concern!(1) Why such concern? It helps regulate blood pressure, keeps us energized, prevents us from becoming too acidic, is needed for firing neurons, helps our muscles contract (our heart can’t work without the sodium-potassium pump!), and is needed for kidneys to function, for a few examples.(3)
Enough potassium may improve blood sugar balance (low levels = less insulin and higher blood sugar) and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.(1) It may also lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and kidney stones, as well as support bone strength.(1)
Preliminary evidence shows high sodium and low potassium may even lead to depressive symptoms.(4) If someone is deficient (hypokalemia), signs can include fatigue, muscle cramps and weakness, tingling, heart palpitations, constipation, and increased urination.(2)
In short, potassium may help us to move, think, stay energized, be strong, feel good, and manage weight.(1,2,3)
How much do I need?
The ratio of potassium to sodium is crucial: each day, potassium intake should be double that of sodium, but most people get the opposite. Even though Adequate Intake is set at 2,600mg for women and 3,400mg for men, 4,700mg a day is what has been documented as the amount associated with lower blood pressure, reduced bone loss, and lower risk of kidney stones.(2)
Of course, salt should also be consumed mindfully to stay under 2300 mg a day (in most instances). You may have noticed that since 2016 it has been mandatory to include potassium on nutrition facts labels because of its great importance.
Should everyone get 4,700 mg of potassium a day?
No. Definitely not. In many instances, potassium intake needs to be monitored to avoid levels that are too high (hyperkalemia) or too low (hypokalemia). Those living with chronic kidney disease, type 1 diabetes, low or high aldosterone, congestive heart failure, or liver disease (as examples) may need to monitor intake, and certain common medications can either increase your potassium level (like ACE inhibitors) or decrease it (like thiazide diuretics).(2)
There are many factors to consider when assessing potassium intake aside from health conditions and medications, like exercise intensity, illness, if a special diet such as Keto is being followed, and inadequate intake of nutrients that work with potassium.(5)
For instance, magnesium deficiency can exacerbate potassium deficiency. When it comes to blood sugar balance or cardiovascular risk, calcium and magnesium may both need to be carefully assessed.(6,7)
This means it’s important to have someone evaluate your diet who understands the associations of many different factors and who knows when to refer you to your healthcare provider. It is very important to address any dietary changes with your healthcare team, especially if you have a pre-existing condition or are on medications.
How can I get enough potassium?
Potassium supplements are limited to 99 mg because of the risk of certain potassium salts leading to small bowel lesions.(2) Yikes. Food sources are great, though!
In general, think: fruits, vegetables, and legumes.(2) Bananas have a big reputation for potassium, but at around 420 mg per fruit, there are other options to consider, including(2)
A baked white or sweet potato with skin or a cup of cooked greens like spinach or swiss chard has about 1,000 mg.(8,2)
Half cup of dried apricots has 750mg, a cup of cooked lentils 700 mg, a cup of cooked kidney beans 600 mg, and an 8oz glass of orange juice 500 mg.(8, 2)
Any squash is usually an awesome source: 1 cup of cooked/cubed zucchini, summer squash, butternut squash, or acorn squash has 500 mg.(8)
Also in the 500 mg range are a cup of cooked sweet potato, lima beans, Brussels sprouts, green peas, asparagus, and bok choy. (2)
Other great sources with smaller amounts include spinach (raw), milk and yogurt, salmon, chicken, beets, raw orange, and tomato.(2) Of course, there are tiny amounts in many foods.(2)
There are enough options to reach Adequate Intake or even 4,700mg regardless of diet trends, culture, or religious dietary requirements.
Food should be enjoyed, not micromanaged, so when making a shopping list the key is to include some foods with higher potassium and plan to eat different options daily. You can also utilize a Mediterranean Diet, African Heritage Diet, Latin American Heritage Diet, or Asian Heritage Diet shopping lists to help raise potassium intake.
It may take some getting used to, but with an increase in a variety of nutrient-packed options, don’t be surprised if you start noticing other benefits. Indeed, when I addressed my potassium and sodium intake for the first time, the impacts were so great that it felt life-changing. Potassium was the umbrella that helped many other shifts happen naturally for me.
Takeaways:
Potassium is essential, and a potassium:sodium ratio of at least 2:1 is usually the goal in healthy individuals.
Always check with your healthcare provider before changing your diet: minerals like potassium may need to be monitored when it comes to health conditions and medications.
It can take planning to get even the Adequate Intake of potassium each day. I provide clients with different resources to help (like personalized grocery lists, recipes, and meal plans) that take both preferences and individual nutritional needs into account for easy and precise planning.
FDA Compliance: The information on this website is for educational purposes only and has not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration, or any other medical body. I do not aim to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or illness. You must consult your doctor before acting on any content on this website, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a diagnosed medical condition.
References:
Stone MS, Martyn L, Weaver CM. Potassium Intake, Bioavailability, Hypertension, and Glucose Control. Nutrients. 2016;8(7):444. Published 2016 Jul 22. doi:10.3390/nu8070444
Potassium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. Ods.od.nih.gov. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Potassium-HealthProfessional/#en11. June 2, 2022. Accessed January 15, 2023.
Pirahanchi Y, Jessu R, Aeddula NR. Physiology, Sodium Potassium Pump. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; March 18, 2022.
Mrug S, Orihuela C, Mrug M, Sanders PW. Sodium and potassium excretion predict increased depression in urban adolescents. Physiol Rep. 2019;7(16):e14213. doi:10.14814/phy2.14213
Crosby L, Davis B, Joshi S, et al. Ketogenic Diets and Chronic Disease: Weighing the Benefits Against the Risks. Front Nutr. 2021;8:702802. Published 2021 Jul 16. doi:10.3389/fnut.2021.702802
Ahmed F, Mohammed A. Magnesium: The Forgotten Electrolyte-A Review on Hypomagnesemia. Med Sci (Basel). 2019;7(4):56. Published 2019 Apr 4. doi:10.3390/medsci7040056
Adebamowo SN, Spiegelman D, Willett WC, Rexrode KM. Association between intakes of magnesium, potassium, and calcium and risk of stroke: 2 cohorts of US women and updated meta-analyses [published correction appears in Am J Clin Nutr. 2015 Oct;102(4):981-2]. Am J Clin Nutr. 2015;101(6):1269-1277. doi:10.3945/ajcn.114.100354
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.
