Potassium

Food Sources of Potassium:

• Apricots, dried or fresh

• Avocado

• Banana

• Beans

• Beef liver

• Blackstrap molasses

• Brown rice

• Cod

• Dates

• Dulse

• Flounder

• Fruits

• Milk

• Orange juice

• Peach

• Potatoes

• Raisins

• Salmon

• Sardines

• Squash, winter

• Sweet potato

• Tomato, raw

• Torula yeast

• Vegetables

• Yams

Herb Sources of Potassium:

• Catnip

• Hops

• Horsetail

• Nettle

• Plantain

• Red clover

• Sage

• Skullcap

Other Sources of Potassium – Brand Names

Types of Potassium available for use as supplements include:

• Potassium Acetate

• Potassium Bicarbonate

• Potassium Chloride (Salt substitutes)

• Potassium Gluconate

• Organically Bound Minerals (Standard Process Labs)

• Min-Tran (Standard Process Labs)

There are a HUGE amount of potassium supplements out there under about 50 different names.

Which Supplement is Best for Me?

My Favorite Liquid Mineral          What I Personally Take

Signs of Potassium Deficiency:

• Abnormally dry skin

• Acne

• Chills

• Cognitive impairment

• Constipation

• Depression

• Diarrhea

• Diminished reflex function

• Edema

• Fluctuations in heartbeat

• Glucose intolerance

• Growth impairment

• High cholesterol levels

• Insatiable thirst

• Insomnia

• Low blood pressure

• Muscular fatigue and weakness

• Nausea and vomiting

• Nervousness

• Periodic headaches

• Proteinuria (protein in the urine)

• Respiratory distress

• Salt retention

Health Concerns – What Potassium is used for:

• High blood pressure (for people not taking potassium-sparing diuretics)

• Congestive heart failure

What Potassium Does:

• Aids in maintaining a regular heart beat

• Helps prevent stroke

• Important for a healthy nervous system

• Maintains blood pressure

• Maintains muscle tone and proper muscle contraction

• Regulates levels of acidity

• Regulates the transfer of nutrients through cell membranes

• Regulates water balance

• Required for carbohydrate and protein metabolism

Cautions & Comments About Potassium:

• High potassium intake (several hundred milligrams at one time in tablet form) can produce stomach irritation

• Kidney disorders, diarrhea, prolonged vomiting and the use of diuretics or laxatives all disrupt potassium levels

• Potassium is needed for hormone secretion.  The secretion of stress hormones causes a decrease in the potassium-to-sodium ratio both inside and outside the cells.  As a result, stress increases the body’s potassium requirements.

• Drug Interactions: The following drugs are known to interact with the absorption of potassium:

Helpful Links and Handouts:

• Potassium Broth Recipe

• http://health.enotes.com/alternative-medicine-encyclopedia/potassium

• http://www.drugs.com/cons/Potassium_Supplements.html (Good food chart and long list of drug interactions in addition to the names of the potassium supplements you may encounter.)

Page Last Edited 03/11/10