Eat a banana is often the well-intentioned advice if you suffer from muscle cramps or your energy levels are waning after exercise.
Heavy sweating and physical exertion quickly cause electrolyte imbalance, and with it, potassium levels. Learn more about this vital mineral here.
Table of contents
1. What is potassium?
Potassium is an important electrolyte without which cells would not function. This positively charged ion plays a crucial role in the fluid balance of the body's cells , ensuring that osmotic pressure is maintained.
This essential mineral must therefore be regularly consumed through food . According to the German Nutrition Society's recommendation, a general daily potassium requirement of 4000 mg applies for both men and women.
What the body doesn't need is normally excreted through the kidneys. In adults, the normal potassium level is between 3.5 and 5.0 mmol/l .
To ensure that the potassium balance is balanced, the body's own hormones, the glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids, come into action.
Both a potassium deficiency (hypokalemia) and a potassium excess (hyperkalemia) can be dangerous. However, there must be a drastic drop or increase in potassium levels.
Take-Home Message #1: Potassium is an essential mineral that regulates the fluid balance of cells.
BRAINEFFECT HACK : Especially during exercise, you lose many important electrolytes through sweat. Our post-workout drink RECHARGE not only supplies you with potassium, but also provides magnesium and zinc.
2. How does potassium work?
The mineral potassium has a number of important functions in the body, primarily in the cells.
He supports ...
- the function of the nervous system
- the function of the muscles
- maintaining normal blood pressure
When the nervous system functions properly, stimuli are transmitted quickly along the nerve pathways. Your brain is optimally supplied and can process the information. Potassium keeps you mentally alert and able to concentrate on your tasks and challenges .
Potassium also keeps you physically fit and active, whether you're planning major exercise sessions or simply following through with your regular routine. Potassium is essential for proper muscle contraction .
Here, too, it ensures that the stimuli are transmitted to the muscles , causing them to contract and expand again. Potassium gives you enough strength and endurance for the challenges you face every day.
Digestion also needs support from this vital mineral. As a fluid regulator, potassium is an important component of digestive juices .
Important minerals produce enzymes , which ensure that the metabolism functions .
Researchers at the Blood Pressure Unit in London investigated further positive effects on general health [1]. They concluded that a potassium-rich diet has the following benefits for the body. It can:
- regulate blood pressure
- protect the kidney
They also provided a nutritional recommendation: “Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables! Because they contain potassium in its natural form—always.”
However, further clinical studies are needed to make general, health-related statements.
3. Sodium and potassium – good for the heart
Not only biceps and triceps benefit from an extra kick of the mineral, the heart muscle also depends on sufficient potassium in the blood.
In combination with sodium, it forms an unbeatable duo for heart health. However, it is important that potassium and sodium levels are balanced.
If the sodium level is too high , increased potassium excretion occurs , which affects the function of the heart muscle. Therefore , a low-sodium diet is recommended for people with high blood pressure . Too much salt in soup will therefore ruin your potassium level—and thus your fitness.
Conversely, potassium can also compensate for a slip-up with the salt shaker , because potassium and sodium, in the right proportions, are a true dream team. While sodium binds water in the cells , potassium promotes dehydration .
Potassium-rich foods should therefore play an important role in your diet . You can find out which foods these are and their potassium levels in the table below.
Take-home message #2: Nerves and muscles, in particular, cannot function without potassium. The heart muscle also relies on the mineral.
4. How do you notice a potassium deficiency?
An acute potassium deficiency is normally very rare , because almost all natural foods contain a certain amount of potassium.
With a balanced diet and sufficient fluid intake, you don't need to worry about a potassium deficiency .
Even if you sweat heavily during exercise , your electrolyte stores can be quickly replenished after the session. The exception is if you're running a marathon or participating in another extreme endurance sport.
BRAINEFFECT HACK : After training, our post-workout drink RECHARGE provides you with new electrolytes.
If there is severe fluid loss, for example due to diarrhea or vomiting, these symptoms of potassium deficiency may occur:
- Tingle
- weakened muscles
- constipation
If the potassium content is too low and is below 3.5 mmol/l, it can usually be adjusted again through a potassium-rich diet.
Of course, you should also address the causes of the potassium deficiency. A gastrointestinal virus usually clears up on its own after a short time. However, if the digestive problems persist, you should investigate the cause.
Caution: A diet high in salt and sodium can also lead to excessive potassium excretion ! In this case, simply avoiding salt and replacing it with spices and herbs is usually sufficient .
Frequent or prolonged fasting can also disrupt potassium levels . If you like licorice, don't eat too much, because licorice also lowers potassium levels.
How dangerous this can be is shown by a case study from the Department of Cardiology in Muscat, in which a woman suffered massive heart problems after excessive consumption of licorice [2].
While potassium is available as a dietary supplement, you shouldn't take high-dose potassium supplements on your own, as they can quickly lead to a potassium overdose. Too much potassium can also have unpleasant side effects, some of which can even be life-threatening.
5. What happens if there is an excess of potassium?
Healthy people generally don't suffer from excess potassium, as excess is excreted in the urine.
However, if kidney disease exists, potassium levels can no longer be balanced. Above 5.0 mmol/l, the potassium level in the blood is too high and should be reduced, for example, by consuming low-potassium foods and avoiding potassium-rich foods.
Antibiotics can also trigger hyperkalemia , as can an overdose of potassium supplements. Signs of potassium excess include:
- Diarrhea
- fatigue
- Headache
- Muscle cramps
- Muscle weakness
- Tingle
The symptoms are similar to those of a potassium deficiency , making self-diagnosis quite difficult . If you suspect you have elevated potassium levels, it's best to have your electrolyte levels checked by your doctor.
If your potassium levels are only slightly elevated, you should switch to a low-potassium diet. However, if your potassium levels are too high, it can lead to complications. Therefore, again, a balanced potassium level is extremely important.
Take-home message #3: Both a potassium deficiency and a potassium excess can have health consequences.
6. Potassium-rich foods
It's a good thing that nature provides many foods rich in potassium, because a balanced diet can easily meet your potassium needs . The mineral is found in almost everything , even if sometimes only in small traces.
Generally good sources of potassium include whole grains, nuts, fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, and mushrooms. To balance your electrolyte levels and maintain a steady potassium level, you should include these potassium-rich foods in your diet:
- Chanterelles (5370 mg/100 g)
- Soybeans (1800 mg/100 g)
- Cocoa powder (1500 mg/100 g)
- Chickpeas (1370 mg/100 g)
- Dried apricots (1370 mg/100 g)
- Wheat bran (1350 mg/100 g)
- white beans (1340 mg/100 g)
- Pistachios (1020 mg/100 g)
- Peas (990 mg/100 g)
- Lentils (840 mg/100 g)
- Almonds (835 mg/100 g)
- Parsley (810 mg/100 g)
- Spinach (633 mg/100 g)
- Banana (420 mg/100 g)
- Potatoes (411 mg/100 g)
The potassium in foods can be easily absorbed by the body when combined with other important vitamins and minerals .
A study by the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York even showed that regular consumption of potassium-rich foods can reduce the risk of stroke and increase life expectancy [3].
For this purpose, over 90,000 women aged 50 to 79 were examined over a period of 11 years. They met their potassium needs exclusively through natural foods.
However, a study by the Department of Nutrition Science found that in today's society, fewer and fewer potassium-rich foods are being consumed, while at the same time more and more sodium is ending up in meals - especially among people who like to eat ready meals [4].
Here too, it is pointed out that natural sources of potassium are the best prevention against potassium deficiency.
7. Low-potassium foods
For a low-potassium diet, you should primarily choose these foods because they have a relatively low potassium content:
- rice
- Dairy products
- tofu
- low-potassium fruits, e.g. apple, lemon, watermelon, blueberries
- Low-potassium vegetables, e.g. zucchini, onion, asparagus, green beans, eggplant, cucumber, peppers, lettuce, radishes, cabbage
Take-Home Message #4: Nature provides a diverse array of potassium-rich foods, as potassium is found almost everywhere. To stay fit and perform at peak performance, you should rely on potassium-rich foods.
8. Conclusion
Potassium has many different functions in your body. Among other things, it regulates your blood pressure and is especially important in combination with sodium. As a healthy person, you don't have to worry about a deficiency or an overdose.
Potassium is present in sufficient quantities in most natural foods. If you consume too much of the mineral, the excess is simply excreted through urine.
BRAINEFFECT HACK : During a strenuous workout, you not only lose fluids but also electrolytes through sweat. With RECHARGE, you can easily replenish electrolytes after your workout.
9. Sources
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18724413
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24303973
[3] http://www.einstein.yu.edu/news/releases/1039/potassium-rich-foods-cut-stroke-death-risk-among-older-women/
[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23674806?dopt=Abstract
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