How Much Potassium Do

You Need Per Day?

Potassium is one of the most abundant minerals in your body and plays an essential
role in several body processes (1Trusted Source).

However, very few people consume enough of it. In fact, nearly 98% of all adults in
the United States are not meeting the daily intake recommendations (2Trusted
Source).

This article tells you how much potassium you need per day as well as why it’s
crucial to your health.

What is potassium?
Potassium is an essential mineral and also an electrolyte. It’s found in various
unrefined foods, including:

 leafy vegetables
 legumes
 fish, such as salmon

Around 98% of the potassium in your body is inside your cells. Of this, 80% is found
inside your skeletal muscle, while 20% is in bone, red blood cells, and the liver
(3Trusted Source).

This mineral plays an integral role in a variety of processes in the body. It’s involved
in muscle contractions, heart function, and fluid balance (4, 5Trusted Source).

Despite its importance, many do not get enough of this mineral (6Trusted
Source, 7Trusted Source).
A diet rich in potassium is associated with a lower risk of high blood pressure,
kidney stones, and osteoporosis, among other benefits (8, 9Trusted
Source, 10Trusted Source).

SUMMARY

Potassium is an essential mineral and electrolyte. It is involved in muscle

contractions, heart function, and regulating water balance.

Is deficiency common?
Most adults don’t consume enough potassium (2Trusted Source).

In many countries, the deficiency is attributed to a Western diet, likely because it

tends to include processed foods, which are poor sources of this mineral (11).

However, just because people aren’t getting enough doesn’t mean they’re deficient.

A potassium deficiency, also known as hypokalemia, is characterized by a blood

level of potassium less than 3.6 mmol per liter (7).

Surprisingly, a lack of potassium in the diet rarely causes deficiencies (12).

This usually occurs when the body loses too much potassium, such as with chronic
diarrhea or vomiting.

You may also lose potassium if you’re taking diuretics, which are medications that
increase water excretion from your body (13Trusted Source, 14Trusted Source).

Here are the symptoms depending on how low your potassium levels are
(15Trusted Source).

 Mild deficiency. Happens when a person has blood levels of 3–3.5 mmol/l. It

usually doesn’t cause symptoms.
  Moderate deficiency. Happens at 2.5–3 mmol/l. Symptoms include cramping,
muscle pain, weakness, and discomfort.
 Severe deficiency. Happens at less than 2.5 mmol/l. Symptoms include irregular
heartbeat and paralysis.
SUMMARY

Though potassium deficiency is uncommon, most adults aren’t consuming enough

of this vital mineral.

The best dietary sources of

potassium
The best way to increase your potassium intake is through your diet.

Potassium is found in a variety of whole foods, mostly fruits, and vegetables.

Due to insufficient evidence about the mineral, nutrition experts haven’t determined
a Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) or Estimated Average Requirement
(EAR) (15Trusted Source).

An RDA is the daily amount of a nutrient likely to meet the needs of 97–98% of
healthy people. An EAR is the estimated average daily amount established to meet
the needs of 50% of healthy people (15Trusted Source).

Below are some foods that are excellent sources of potassium and how much they
contain in a 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving (16):

 tomato products, canned, paste: 1,014 mg

 beet greens, cooked: 909 mg
 yams, baked: 670 mg
 potatoes, Russet, baked in skin: 550 mg
 spinach, raw: 558 mg
  soybeans, cooked: 539 mg
 avocado: 485 mg
 sweet potato, baked: 475 mg
 salmon, Atlantic, farmed cooked: 384 mg
 bananas: 358 mg
SUMMARY

A variety of whole foods are excellent sources of potassium, including tomato

products, beets, greens, yams, potatoes, and spinach.

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Health benefits of potassium

A diet rich in potassium is associated with some impressive health benefits.
It may prevent or alleviate a variety of health problems, including:

 High blood pressure. Many studies have shown that potassium-rich diets can
lower blood pressure, especially for those with high blood pressure
(8, 17Trusted Source, 18Trusted Source).
 Salt sensitivity. People with this condition may experience a 10% increase in
blood pressure after eating salt. A potassium-rich diet may eliminate salt
sensitivity (19, 20Trusted Source).
 Stroke. Several studies have shown that a potassium-rich diet may reduce the
risk of stroke by up to 27% (21Trusted Source, 22, 23Trusted
Source, 24Trusted Source).
  Osteoporosis. Studies have shown that a potassium-rich diet may help prevent
osteoporosis, a condition associated with an increased risk of bone fractures
(9Trusted Source, 25Trusted Source, 26Trusted Source, 27Trusted Source).
 Kidney stones. Studies have found that potassium-rich diets are associated with
a significantly lower risk of kidney stones than diets low in this mineral
(9Trusted Source, 28Trusted Source).
SUMMARY

A diet rich in potassium may help alleviate high blood pressure and mitigate salt
sensitivity. It may also help reduce the risk of stroke as well as help prevent
osteoporosis and kidney stones.

How much should you consume per

day?
Your daily potassium needs can depend on various factors, including your health
status and activity level. Research also indicates that daily potassium intake may
vary among different ethnic groups.

Even though there isn’t an RDA for potassium, organizations worldwide have
recommended consuming at least 3,500 mg per day through food (6Trusted
Source, 29).

One of these organizations is the World Health Organization (WHO). Certain

countries, including Spain, Mexico, Belgium, and the UK, support this
recommendation.

Other countries, including the United States, recommend consuming at least 4,700
mg per day (7).

Interestingly, it seems that when people consume more than 4,700 mg per day,
there appears to be little or no extra health benefits (7, 22, 23).
However, there are several groups of people who may benefit more than others
from meeting the higher recommendation. These people include:

 Athletes. Those who partake in long and intense exercise may lose a

significant amount of potassium through sweat (14Trusted Source).
 Black people. Studies have found that consuming 4,700 mg of potassium daily
can eliminate salt-sensitivity, which research indicates disproportionately
affects Black people when compared to white people (19, 31Trusted Source).
 High risk groups. People at risk of high blood pressure, kidney
stones, osteoporosis or stroke may benefit from consuming at least 4,700 mg
of potassium per day (10, 17Trusted Source, 21Trusted Source, 25Trusted
Source).
SUMMARY

A healthy adult should aim to consume 4,700 mg of potassium daily from foods.

Should you take supplements?

Surprisingly, potassium supplements are usually not significant sources of this
mineral.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) limits over-the-counter potassium chloride
supplements to less than 100 mg per serving — just 2% of the U.S. daily
recommendation (31).

However, that doesn’t apply to other forms of supplements that contain potassium.

Taking too much of this mineral can cause excess amounts to build up in the blood,
which is known as hyperkalemia. In some cases, this may cause an irregular
heartbeat, called cardiac arrhythmia, which can be fatal (32Trusted
Source, 33Trusted Source).
Furthermore, studies have found that potassium supplements that provide high
doses may damage the lining of the gut (34, 35).

However, people who are deficient or at risk for deficiency may require a high-dose
potassium supplement. In these cases, your healthcare provider may prescribe a
higher-dose supplement and monitor you for any reactions.

SUMMARY

Potassium supplements aren’t necessary for a healthy adult. However, some people
may be prescribed a higher-dose supplement.

How much is too much?

An excessive level of potassium in the blood is known as hyperkalemia. The
condition is characterized by a blood level higher than 5.0 mmol per liter, which can
be dangerous.

For a healthy adult, there’s no significant evidence that potassium from foods can
cause hyperkalemia (16).

For this reason, potassium from foods doesn’t have a tolerable upper intake level.
This is the most a healthy adult can consume in a day without negative effects
(6Trusted Source).

Hyperkalemia generally affects people with poor kidney function or people who take
medications that may affect kidney function.

This is because the kidneys remove excess potassium. Therefore, poor kidney
function may result in a buildup of this mineral in the blood (36, 37).

However, poor kidney function isn’t the only cause of hyperkalemia. Taking too
many potassium supplements may also cause it (32Trusted Source, 36Trusted
Source, 37Trusted Source).
Compared to foods, potassium supplements are small and easy to take. Taking too
many may overwhelm the kidneys’ ability to remove excess potassium (7).

Additionally, there are several groups of people who may need less of this mineral
than others, including:

 People with chronic kidney disease. This disease increases the risk of

hyperkalemia. People with chronic kidney disease should ask their medical
provider how much potassium is right for them (38Trusted Source, 39Trusted
Source).
 Those taking blood pressure medications. Some blood pressure medications, such
as ACE inhibitors, may increase the risk of hyperkalemia. People taking these
medications may need to watch their potassium intake (40Trusted
Source, 41Trusted Source).
 Older adults. As people age, their kidney function declines. Older people are
also more likely to take medications that affect the risk of hyperkalemia
(42Trusted Source, 43Trusted Source).
SUMMARY

It’s difficult for a healthy adult to overdose on potassium from foods. However,
people with kidney problems, older adults, and those who take medications for
blood pressure may need less potassium.

The bottom line

Potassium is an essential mineral and electrolyte involved in heart function, muscle
contraction, and water balance.

A high intake may help reduce high blood pressure, salt sensitivity, and the risk of
stroke. Additionally, it may protect against osteoporosis and kidney stones.

Despite its importance, very few people around the world get enough potassium. A
healthy adult should aim to consume 3,500–4,700 mg daily from foods.
To increase your intake, incorporate a few potassium-rich foods into your diet such
as spinach, yams, avocados, bananas, and fish, such as salmon.

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