Author
Bowtie Team
Updated on
2025-08-26
Disclaimer: This article is translated with the assistance of AI.
Potassium plays a crucial role in your health, from regulating blood pressure and supporting muscle and nerve functions to preventing heart disease and strokes. Let the Bowtie team show you how to get enough potassium, with daily intake tips and the best food sources!
This article was assisted by artificial intelligence (AI Writer), reviewed and fact-checked by Bowtie medical editors, and the content has also been reviewed by registered dietitians.
Potassium Benefits and Functions
As mentioned earlier, potassium enables the nervous system to respond to stimuli and helps muscles contract. It can also lower high blood pressure and transport nutrients into cells. In fact, potassium offers many benefits with countless functions—here are some others:
- Prevents strokes
- Prevents osteoporosis
- Prevents kidney stones
- Reduces swelling
- Kidneys control potassium levels in the body and excrete excess potassium in urine
Daily Potassium Intake Guide
| Age | Male (mg) | Female (mg) |
| 0 – 6 months | 400 | 400 |
| 7 – 12 months | 860 | 860 |
| 1 – 3 years | 2000 | 2000 |
| 4 – 8 years | 2300 | 2300 |
| 9 – 13 years | 2500 | 2300 |
| 14 – 18 years | 3000 | 2300 |
| 14 – 18 years (pregnant) | N/A | 2600 |
| 19 – 50 years | 3400 | 2600 |
| 19 – 50 years (pregnant) | N/A | 2900 |
| 51+ years | 3400 | 2600 |
Causes of Low Potassium Levels
The most common cause of hypokalemia (also known as low potassium) is excessive potassium loss due to prescription medications that increase urine output. These drugs are also known as diuretics or water pills.
Of course, low potassium isn’t caused by just one factor. The following elements may also trigger hypokalemia:
- Dehydration
- Vomiting or diarrhea
- Engaging in very strenuous work leading to sweating
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- Taking diuretics (diuretic drugs)
- Living in extremely hot climates
- Professional athletes
- Taking antibiotics
- Having chronic kidney disease
- Having eating disorders such as bulimia
- Low magnesium levels in the body
Symptoms of Low Potassium
Since potassium deficiency doesn’t cause obvious bodily changes or any specific pain, besides seeking a doctor’s professional opinion, we can only watch for the following symptoms to initially gauge if we’re low on potassium:
- Weakness
- Feeling tired
- Muscle cramps
- Confusion
- Constipation
- Abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia)
- Tingling or numbness
- Increased urine output
- Vomiting, diarrhea, or both may lead to excessive potassium loss from the digestive tract
Can High Potassium Worsen Kidney Function?
Hyperkalemia refers to a condition where potassium levels in the blood are excessively high. Potassium is an essential nutrient, but when there’s too much in the bloodstream, it can damage the heart and lead to heart attacks or even death.
On top of that, poor kidney function can also cause hyperkalemia, as kidney disease prevents the kidneys from properly balancing potassium levels in the body. If not detected and addressed promptly, the patient’s body may develop more severe kidney conditions due to elevated potassium, such as kidney cancer.
Best Foods High in Potassium to Eat
Meats
| Food | Portion Size | Potassium Content (mg) |
| Beef | 3 ounces | 315 |
| Chicken Breast | 3 ounces | 332 |
| Egg | 1 piece | 10 |
| Turkey Breast | 3 ounces | 212 |
Seafood
| Food | Portion Size | Potassium Content (mg) |
| Salmon | 3 ounces | 326 |
| Tuna | 3 ounces | 153 |
Dairy Products
| Food | Portion Size | Potassium Content (mg) |
| Yogurt | 6 ounces | 240 |
| Milk | 1 cup | 366 |
| Soy Milk | 1 cup | 287 |
Fruits
| Food | Portion Size | Potassium Content (mg) |
| Banana | 1 piece | 422 |
| Avocado | 1/3 piece | 251 |
Vegetables
| Food | Portion Size | Potassium Content (mg) |
| Pumpkin | 1 cup | 644 |
| Romaine Lettuce | 1/2 bowl | 530 |
| Spinach | 2 cups | 334 |
| Broccoli | Half cup | 280 |
| Lettuce | 1 cup | 102 |
| Tomato | 1 piece | 292 |
FAQs
Is there a way to prevent hyperkalemia?
If you’ve had hyperkalemia before, consider trying a low-potassium diet. This means cutting back or avoiding high-potassium foods like asparagus, avocados, bananas, citrus fruits, juices, cooked spinach, potatoes, prunes, raisins, and other dried fruits.
How is high or low potassium diagnosed?
As mentioned earlier, low potassium doesn’t always show obvious symptoms, but you can still get checked through a blood test to diagnose hyperkalemia or hypokalemia. A serum potassium test measures the potassium levels in your blood, while an ECG can reveal heart rhythm changes caused by high potassium.
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