What it does in the body
- Cellular membrane potential maintenance
- Cardiac muscle function and rhythm
- Skeletal muscle contraction
- Blood pressure regulation (counteracts sodium)
- Acid-base balance and intracellular pH
How much you need (Daily Value)
| Group | Recommended | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Adult male | 3400 mg | NIH/NASEM 2019 |
| Adult female | 2600 mg | NIH/NASEM 2019 |
| Pregnancy | 2900 mg | NASEM |
| Children | 2000 mg (1-3y), 2300 mg (4-8y), 2300-3000 mg (9-18y) | NIH/NASEM |
| Older adults | 3400 mg (men), 2600 mg (women) | NIH/NASEM |
Richest food sources
| Food | Amount | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Dried apricots | 1162 mg per 100g | Middle East/Central Asia |
| Lentils (cooked) | 369 mg per 100g | South Asia/Middle East |
| Banana | 358 mg per 100g | Tropics/global |
| Sweet potato (baked) | 475 mg per 100g | Americas/Africa |
| Spinach (cooked) | 466 mg per 100g | global |
| Salmon | 363 mg per 100g | global |
| Coconut water | 250 mg per 100ml | Tropics |
| White beans (cooked) | 561 mg per 100g | Americas/Europe |
In our food database, per 100 g
Highest among our free foods — open the Food Explorer to compare.
If you don't get enough
Mild: Fatigue, muscle weakness, constipation, muscle cramps (K 3.0-3.5 mEq/L)
Moderate: Significant muscle weakness, ileus, polyuria, ECG changes (U waves, ST depression) (K 2.5-3.0 mEq/L)
Severe: Paralysis, rhabdomyolysis, respiratory failure, fatal cardiac arrhythmias (K <2.5 mEq/L)
Time to onset: Acute: hours with GI losses (vomiting, diarrhea) or diuretic use. Chronic dietary deficiency: weeks to months.
Too much
Upper limit: No established UL for dietary potassium in healthy individuals. Supplemental doses >100 mEq require medical supervision.
Hyperkalemia causes paresthesias, muscle weakness, cardiac arrhythmias (peaked T waves, heart block, asystole). Most dangerous in renal failure patients.
How well you absorb it
85-90% absorption from dietary sources
Helped by: Magnesium (supports intracellular potassium retention), Alkaline conditions
Hindered by: Clay ingestion (pica), Excessive sweating without replacement, Loop and thiazide diuretics (increase renal losses)
Cooking & storage
Potassium is water-soluble and leaches into cooking water during boiling (up to 50% loss). Steaming, microwaving, and roasting preserve more potassium. Canned fruits and vegetables may have reduced potassium compared to fresh.
Nutrisize Health totals every nutrient from what you actually eat, against targets set for your age and sex, and flags what's short — across 4,995 foods, on your device.
