Potassium
A Necessity for Life
Symbol: K
Atomic Number: 19
Recommended Daily Allowances
0-6 months--- 400 mg/day
7-12 months---700 mg/day
1-3 years--- 3,000 mg/day
4-8 years--- 3,800 mg/day
9-13 years--- 4,500 mg/day
14 & up--- 4,700 mg/day
breastfeeding women--- 5,100 mg/day
Women Who Breastfeed
This is the only time as an adult (14 or up) that your potassium levels would need to be increased. Potassium is crucial to your maintaining your fluid levels, so as your fluid levels rise, your potassium levels need to rise too.
How It Helps Your Body
Can Help to Prevent:
- stroke
- low blood pressure
- cramps
- muscle disorder
- high blood pressure
- heart and kidney disorder
- stress and anxiety
- bone health
- brain function
- muscular strength
- moving muscles
- metabolism
- maintaining fluid balance
- electrolytes
- nervous system
- regulating pH levels
Potassium is a very important electrolyte. The levels in your body can be affected by:
- a hormone, aldosterone
- sodium levels
- foods you eat
The picture above shows the sodium-potassium pump, which allows our muscles to be able to move and contract.
Excess Potassium
Too much of anything can be bad. Too much potassium can cause:
- heart diease
- muscle paralysis
- abnormal heartbeat
Symptoms:
- nausea
- tingling in hands and feet
- trouble breathing
*These problems are more likely in someone whose kidneys cannot process potassium*
Potassium Deficiency
Not enough potassium can lead to:
- high blood pressure
- pain in the intestines
- swelling of the glands
- in extreme cases, diabetes
Symptoms:
- fatigue
- muscle weakness
- inactive reflexes
- abnormal heartbeat
- anemia
- severe headaches
- sweating
- trembling
Foods with Potassium
citrus fruits
grains
vegetables
salmon
chicken
whole milk
fresh fruit juice
almonds
nuts
lime beans
potatos
most present in:
avocados
bananas
- coconut water
Supplements
To prevent low levels of potassium:
- a supplement containing 20 mEq a day should be taken
- 40-100 mEq a day, but this should be broken throughout the day
Buying:
- you can get potassium suplements for as little as $5.59
- comes with 90 tablets
- take one a day
- each tablet contains 99 mg
- the average cost for a daily supplement would be about $0.06