Do You Need Potassium Supplements?
In the quest for better health, there are times when we actually do more harm than good. There are many great diet plans out there that work, but they only work if you use them for the long run. More often than not, people go with diet plans that are meant to help lose weight, but they then stop using them when they get to their goal weight or when they have had enough. A few of these diets work, but can drain your body of things that are essential. When you are on Atkins, for example, you may find the need to take potassium supplements every day.
According to the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine, the adequate intake level for potassium based on intake levels that have been found to lower blood pressure, reduce salt sensitivity, and minimize the risk of kidney stones is 4,700 mg/day for adults.
The richest sources of potassium are fruits and vegetables. People who eat large amounts of fruits and vegetables have a high potassium intake (8-11 grams/day). A recent dietary survey in the U.S. by the Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine indicated that the average dietary potassium intake is about 2,300 mg/day for adult women and 3,100 mg/day for adult men. Some potassium-rich foods are listed in the table below:
| Food | Serving | Potassium (mg) |
| Potato, baked with skin | 1 medium | 926 |
| Plums, dried (prunes) | 1/2 cup | 637 |
| Raisins | 1/2 cup | 598 |
| Prune juice | 6 fluid ounces | 528 |
| Lima beans, cooked | 1/2 cup | 485 |
| Acorn squash, cooked | 1/2 cup (cubes) | 448 |
| Banana | 1 medium | 422 |
| Spinach, cooked | 1/2 cup | 420 |
| Tomato juice | 6 fluid ounces | 417 |
| Raisin bran cereal | 1 cup | 362 |
| Orange juice | 6 fluid ounces | 372 |
| Artichoke, cooked | 1 medium | 343 |
| Tomato | 1 medium | 292 |
| Orange | 1 medium | 237 |
If your diet keeps your fruit and vegetable intake to a minimum and you are not reaching the adequate intake level of 4,700 mg/day, you can look to a daily vitamin; however, multi-vitamin supplements do not have sufficient potassium in them. In that case, you are going to have to add potassium supplements if you are not getting enough in your diet.
So how do you know if your running low on potassium? Some of the symptoms of potassium deficiency include muscle weakness, confusion, irritability, fatigue, and heart disturbances. Athletes with low potassium stores may tire more easily during exercise, as potassium deficiency causes a decrease in glycogen (the fuel used by exercising muscles) storage.
I know I need to up my potassium intake when I get foot cramps. When my body get low on potassium, I get a very painful cramps in the sole of my foot. If you have ever had this cramp, you know how it can pop up out of nowhere and can be very painful. And while not drinking enough water can also trigger these cramps, for me it usually means low potassium.
It you want to take potassium supplements, talk to your doctor to be sure you are getting the right amount without going overboard. Just as with anything else, you can get too much of a good thing. While elevated blood levels of potassium can be toxic, under most circumstances, the body maintains blood levels of potassium within a tight range, so it is not usually possible to produce symptoms of toxicity through intake of potassium-containing foods and/or supplements. However, high intakes of potassium salts (potassium chloride and potassium bicarbonate) may cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and/or ulcers.
In addition, the kidneys play an important role in eliminating excess potassium from the body, so if you suffer from kidney disease, you must severely limit your intake of potassium. To date, the National Academy of Sciences has not established a Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) for potassium.
You want to have what is recommended for you each day. Your doctor can help you adjust your diet, or they can tell you exactly how much to supplement potassium in your system. Buy from a reputable source, and take it each morning with your vitamins so that you don’t forget. You will be glad that you did.
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