Potassium
Potassium helps keep blood pressure down and aids muscle contractions, aids healthy electrical activity in the heart and rapid transmission of nerve impulses throughout the body. With the exception of calcium and phosphorus, no other mineral is as abundant in the human body as potassium. Most people don't need to take supplements of this mineral because it's so widely available in foods such as bananas, orange juice, and potatoes.
Potassium aids in converting blood sugar (glucose, the body's foremost fuel), into glycogen, a form of energy that can be stored in the muscles and liver and released as needed.
Most adults easily get an adequate and safe amount of potassium -- about 5.6g -- from foods every day. In fact, there is no RDA for potassium.
By law, over-the-counter supplements cannot contain more than 99mg of potassium per pill, a ruling that applies to multivitamin and mineral preparations as well. Higher doses of potassium are available only by prescription and are necessary only in very special situations, such as the use of diuretics that promote potassium loss.
Potassium Supplements
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Because food processing reduces the levels of naturally occurring nutrients in foods, supplementation may be necessary to insure adequate intake. Potassium Citrate |
Warnings: If you take a medication to control high blood pressure or heart disease, or if you have a kidney disorder, never take potassium supplements without medical supervision. Consuming potassium-rich foods is considered fine, however.