Like all muscles, the heart needs electrical input in order for the contractions to occur. Potassium is among a group of nutrients that conduct the current for this electrical input. These nutrients, which also include sodium, calcium, magnesium and chloride, are called electrolytes. Because the heart muscle contracts continuously, if you don't have enough of these electrolytes, your heart may beat irregularly. A normal potassium level can usually be maintained through your daily diet.
How Much Potassium Do You Need?
A normal potassium level is between 3.5 and 5.0 mEq/L, or millequivalents per liter of blood serum, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Low potassium levels are referred to as hypokalemia. A healthy adult needs to consume about 4.7 g of potassium daily to maintain a normal potassium level. Those who are ill enough to have diarrhea, vomiting and excessive sweating, or who are taking diuretic medicines, may lose potassium along with those fluids. People who are malnourished or have conditions such as Crohn's disease that prevent proper absorption of nutrients may have low potassium levels, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Potassium-rich Foods
Many common foods contain potassium. The National Library of Medicine recommends fresh vegetables and produce such as bananas, cantaloupe and citrus fruits to maintain potassium levels in your blood. Apricots are good, and dried apricots have more potassium than fresh ones. Tomato and prune juice have potassium, as does molasses. Red meat, chicken and many types of fish contain high levels of potassium. Yogurt, milk and nuts are other good sources of this nutrient.
Too Much Potassium Can Also Affect the Heart
Health care professionals warn that too much potassium, or hyperkalemia, can also be unhealthy for your heart. According to the National Library of Medicine, if you are on dialysis for kidney failure, you need to be careful not to take in too much potassium. Older people also need to be cautious, because their kidneys aren't as good at regulating electrolytes in the blood stream. The University of Maryland Medical Center cautions that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and some heart medicines, such as ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers, may raise the amount of potassium in your system.
Potassium Supplements
Because it is so easy to get adequate, or even excessive, potassium from the foods you eat, it isn't usually necessary to take a potassium supplement beyond the small amount that may be included in a daily multivitamin. Potassium supplements come in tablets, powders, sprays and liquids, but no matter which form is chosen, it should only be taken under the guidance of your medical doctor, especially if you are taking any other medicines, including over-the-counter NSAIDs.
