An essential mineral, potassium plays a vital role in metabolic function and in maintaining the health of all tissues, cells and organs. Your body requires different levels of potassium depending on age, while women who are pregnant or lactating need to maintain a moderately higher blood average. Potassium derives naturally from many food sources; deficiencies generally result from adrenal and kidney disease rather than dietary inadequacies. Maintaining a healthy potassium average is critical to your well-being; elevated or diminished levels can have serious consequences to your health.
Average Potassium and Your Body
Your body depends on potassium for both cellular and electrical activity. Potassium is required for normal electrical functioning in your heart, normal rates of body growth, and for building strong muscles. Additionally, it helps in protein synthesis and carbohydrate metabolism, as well as contributes to keeping the balance acid and base in your body. Potassium is classified as an electrolyte, as it carries a small electrical charge. On average, adult men and women have 120 g of potassium in their bodies, 98 percent of which is stored in the cells. Dietary potassium, or that which is obtained through food, is absorbed into your body through the small intestine; the kidneys regulate average levels in the blood.
Recommended Daily Intake
According to the standards established by the Institute of Medicine, humans require progressively higher average amounts of potassium from infancy to adulthood. Males and females ages 14 and up require a minimum of 4.7 g of potassium per day. If you are pregnant or lactating, you should increase your daily consumption to 5.1 g. In addition to its essential health functions, potassium is also useful in the treatment of certain illnesses. The Linus Pauling Institute notes that research suggests that moderate increases in potassium can be effective in preventing osteoporosis, stroke and kidney disease among at-risk populations.
Potassium Deficiency
Having a sustained lower than average potassium level can result in a condition known as hypokalemia. Hypokalemia most commonly affects people with certain kidney or adrenal disorders, or those who take diuretics for cardiovascular illness or high blood pressure. Laxative and steroid use are also associated with potassium deficiencies. Additionally, heavy use of alcohol, caffeine and sugar can prompt excess elimination of potassium through urine and lead to decreased levels in the blood. Hypokalemia produces symptoms of fatigue, muscle weakness, cramps and abdominal pain; severe deficiencies can result in cardiac arrhythmia, which if untreated, can be fatal.
Elevated Potassium Levels
An excess of potassium in the bloodstream can lead to a condition known as hyperkalemia. Most often, hyperkalemia is caused by reduced kidney function, and affects people receiving dialysis. Certain medications, specifically angiotensin converting enzyme, or ACE, inhibitors and potassium-sparing diuretics, impair the body's ability to eliminate excess potassium, causing a build up in the blood stream. Symptoms of hyperkalemia include muscular weakness, tingling in the hands and feet, and temporary paralysis.
Caution
Maintaining a normal potassium average is crucial for your health; even a minor reduction in your body's required level can result in severe health consequences such as elevated blood pressure and heightened sensitivity to salt. If you are currently taking a prescription laxative, diuretic or steroid, make sure to regularly have your potassium levels checked by a doctor. Although the Institute of Medicine has not established an upper threshold for daily potassium consumption, individuals with kidney or renal disorders should consult with a doctor before adding a nutritional supplement to their dietary regimens.
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