Too much or too little potassium in your diet can produce dangerous side effects, according to MedlinePlus. Getting the right amount is important for heart health and blood pressure management. Most people get enough potassium from food without taking a supplement. Eating a balanced diet is an effective way to manage your potassium intake.
Identification
Potassium is a mineral that acts as an electrolyte in your body. Good sources of potassium include vegetables, fruit, red meat, chicken, dairy products and fish varieties such as flounder, cod and salmon, according to MedlinePlus. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that adults get 4,700 mg of potassium daily.
Function
Potassium helps balance body fluids and regulate acid and base levels. Your heart depends on potassium to support normal electrical activity. Potassium also contributes to carbohydrate metabolism, normal body growth, muscle development and protein synthesis, according to MedlinePlus. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans reports that adequate potassium intake helps counteract the effects of salt on blood pressure and reduces the risk for kidney stones.
Sources
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans points out that not all potassium sources have the same effect on blood pressure regulation. Potassium from milk, meat and cereal, for example, has less influence on acid-base metabolism than produce. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables is vital for blood pressure management. Excellent plant sources of potassium include collard greens, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, lima beans and carrot juice, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC.
Tips
The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet, or DASH diet, provides eating guidelines to help you increase potassium intake, while lowering sodium and saturated fat intake, according to the Colorado State University Extension. The DASH diet may help lower blood pressure and improve cardiovascular health. The DASH diet includes a plan for getting the recommended 4,700 mg of potassium, limiting sodium intake to 2,300 mg and providing less than 6 percent of calories from saturated fat, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
Warning
Most people get enough potassium, but even a slight deficiency can cause high blood pressure. Diuretics, steroids and laxatives can lead to a loss of potassium, as can vomiting and diarrhea. High levels of potassium in the body are usually the result of severe infection, a decrease in kidney function or abnormal protein breakdown. Symptoms include nausea, irregular heartbeat or a slow pulse, according to MedlinePlus. Left untreated, excessive potassium levels could lead to cardiac arrest or nerve and muscle damage.
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