Functions:
Potassium, together with sodium, is essential for the maintenance of normal osmotic pressure within cells. About 98% of the total body potassium is located intracellularly where the concentration can be 30 times that of the extracellular concentration.The extracellular potassium concentration is a critical determinant of neuromuscular excitability. Potassium is also a cofactor for numerous enzymes and is required for secretion of insulin by the pancreas, for phosphorylation of creatine and for carbohydrate metabolism and protein synthesis.
Potassium is an alkaline, metallic element. It is not found in the elemental form in nature and is always found combined with other substances, most commonly as the chloride salt (KCl). Potassium is widely distributed in silicate rocks, and occurs in salt beds and seawater. Within this risk assessment, the word potassium refers to ionic potassium, except where specific potassium compounds are stated.
Potassium is a mineral that's crucial for life. Potassium is necessary for the heart, kidneys, and other organs to work normally.
What food it is found in:
Potassium is present in all animal and plant tissues.
Major dietary sources include:
Food Weight (g)/Measure/mg per measure
Abiyuch, raw 114.0 0.5 cup 347
Acerola juice, raw 242.0 1.0 cup 235
Acerola, (west indian cherry), raw 98.0 1.0 cup 143
Adobo fresco 18.0 1.0 tbsp 34
Alcoholic beverage, wine, dessert, dry 29.5 1.0 fl oz 27
Alcoholic beverage, wine, dessert, sweet 29.5 1.0 fl oz 2
Alcoholic beverage, wine, light 29.5 1.0 fl oz 26
Alcoholic beverage, wine, table, all 148.0 1.0 serving 5 fl oz 147
Alcoholic beverage, wine, table, red 29.4 1.0 fl oz 37
Alcoholic Beverage, wine, table, red, Merlot 29.4 1.0 fl oz 37
Alcoholic beverage, wine, table, white 29.4 1.0 fl oz 21
Alcoholic beverage, wine, table, white, Chardonnay 29.3 1.0 fl oz 21
Alfalfa seeds, sprouted, raw 33.0 1.0 cup 26
Amaranth grain, cooked 246.0 1.0 cup 332
Amaranth leaves, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt 132.0 1.0 cup 846
Amaranth leaves, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 132.0 1.0 cup 846
Amaranth leaves, raw 28.0 1.0 cup 171
Amaranth, uncooked 193.0 1.0 cup 980
Animal fat, bacon grease 4.3 1.0 tsp 0
Apple juice, canned or bottled, unsweetened, with added ascorbic acid 248.0 1.0 cup 250
Apricots, dehydrated (low-moisture), sulfured, stewed 249.0 1.0 cup 1813
Apricots, dehydrated (low-moisture), sulfured, uncooked 119.0 1.0 cup 2202
Apricots, canned, water pack, with skin, solids and liquids 243.0 1.0 cup, halves 467
For a complete list of food containing Potassium please follow the link bellow:
Agricultural Research Service Inited States Department of Agriculture
You can get if from many fruits and vegetables, the list includes apricots, bananas, melon, citrus fruit, asparagus, potatoes, green beans, cauliflower, lentils and peas, avocados, nuts, like almonds and peanuts, leafy, green vegetables.
The potassium content of mineral, spring, table and spa water varies widely.
The amount we get from food varies greatly, with vegetarians getting around 8,000 mg or more a day.
Keep in mind that some types of cooking, such as boiling, can destroy the potassium in some foods.
What symptoms and disorders potassium deficiency may cause:
Deficiency is rare, but can happen due to a poor diet, chronic diarrhoea and vomiting, some diuretic drugs, excessive tea, coffee and cola drinking, excessive sweating, major burns or skin damage and some medical conditions such as diabetes, severe heart disease and anorexia.
Hypokalaemia most commonly results from increased loss of the element, secondary to diarrhoea, diabetic acidosis, vomiting, intense and prolonged sweating, body burns or diuretic drugs. Rarely, ‘crash’ or very low calorie diets can result in reduced intake, sufficient to cause potassium deficiency.
Hypokalaemia can cause rapid and irregular heart rhythm, muscle weakness and irritability, occasional paralysis, nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea and low muscle tone in the gut, and has been reported to predispose to hypertension.
Symptoms of deficiency include fatigue, muscle weakness, no appetite, dry skin, depression, low blood pressure, and drowsiness.
Severe depletion results in confusion, high blood sugar, arthritis, cancer, infertility and even death in extreme cases.
A balanced diet with potassium-rich foods is the answer to suspected lack of potassium.
For people with low potassium, doctors sometimes recommend improved diets -- or potassium supplements -- to prevent or treat some of these conditions.
Potassium deficiencies are more common in people who:
Use certain medicines, such as diuretics and certain birth control pills
Have physically demanding jobs
Are athletes
Have health conditions that affect their digestive absorption, such as Crohn's disease
Have an eating disorder
Smoke
Abuse alcohol or drugs.
Problems related to excessive doses:
The kidneys remove excess potassium but if they are not working properly it can build up, causing muscle weakness, bowel ulceration and heart problems.
Signs of a potassium overdose can also include confusion, tingling sensation in the limbs, low blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, weakness, and coma.
Interactions. Potassium supplements may not be safe if you take certain medicines for diabetes, high blood pressure or heart disease. Check with your doctor first if you take any medications before you take potassium supplements.
The balance between sodium and potassium is very important. Excess sodium intake can deplete potassium. Magnesium deficiency results in failure to retain potassium and conversely, excessive levels of potassium may interfere with magnesium absorption. Thallium interacts with potassium in the body, because the active transport mechanisms for potassium do not differentiate between thallium and potassium.
In animals, the rate of loss of thallium from the body increases as dietary potassium increases.
Warnings. People with kidney disease, diabetes, heart disease, Addison's disease, stomach ulcers, or other health problems should never take potassium supplements without talking to a doctor first.
Recommended doses for people in the UK:
The RNI for potassium is 3500 mg/day for adults (over 18 years) of both sexes (COMA, 1991). There is no increased requirement during pregnancy or lactation.
In the USA, The Institute of Medicine has set an adequate intake for potassium. Getting this amount of potassium from diet, with or without supplements, should be enough to keep you healthy. The FDA has determined that foods that contain at least 350 milligrams of potassium can bear the following label: "Diets containing foods that are good sources of potassium and low in sodium may reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke."
Adequate Intake (AI)
CHILDREN
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 years and up 4,700 mg/day
ADULTS
18 years and up 4,700 mg/day
Pregnant women 4,700 mg/day
Breastfeeding women 5,100 mg/day
Always take potassium supplements with a full glass of water or juice.
There is no set upper limit for potassium. So it's not clear exactly how much potassium you can take safely. However, very high doses of potassium can be deadly.
Toxicity
Human data
Potassium chloride has been associated with acute poisoning in humans.
Case reports have described heart failure, cyanosis and cardiac arrest after ingestion of high doses of potassium chloride tablets.
Gastrointestinal toxicity has also been described after chronic ingestion of potassium chloride in case studies and supplementation studies. This is characterised by abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea, and ulceration of the oesophagus, stomach and duodenum and ileum.
Case studies of toxicity resulting from high doses of salt substitutes have described chest tightness, nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea, hyperkalaemia, shortness of breath and heart failure.
For example, a fatality resulted from hyperkalaemia and resultant asystole after ingestion of 21,000 mg of salt substitute representing an oral bolus of 11,065 mg potassium (Restuccio, 1992).
A 2 month old boy died after being given three doses of 1500 mg potassium chloride with breast milk over one and a half days (Wetli and Davis, 1978).
Vulnerable groups
Older people may be vulnerable to potassium toxicity due to reduced physiological reserve in renal function.
Individuals with pre-existing renal disease, hyperkalaemia, adrenal insufficiency, acidosis or insulin deficiency are also vulnerable, as are those using certain drugs, such as potassium-sparing diuretics, ß-adrenergic blockers, angiotensin-convering enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, digitalis, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, arginine hydrochloride and succinylcholine.
Infants may be vulnerable to excessive potassium due to limited renal reserve and immature function.