Excessive water consumption may lead to depletion of potassium, which is an essential nutrient. This may cause symptoms like leg pain, irritation, chest pain, et al. 6.
Over-drinking can bring down your potassium ions: Over-hydration due to excessive drinking of water can bring down the potassium ions in your body and lead to a condition called hypokalemia.
How much potassium is in an egg? One large egg contains about 63 mg of potassium. 1 Eggs are considered a low-potassium food, but check with your doctor or dietitian to find out how often you should eat them.
Eat potassium-rich foods as soon as you suspect your potassium levels might be too low. Early symptoms might include fatigue, weakness and muscle cramps. The best foods to eat include bananas, potatoes, acorn squash, spinach, melon or beans.
The most common cause of high potassium is kidney disease. Other causes of high potassium include: Dehydration. Some medicines.
If you have low potassium, your doctor may recommend you take a supplement. You should only take a potassium supplement under medical supervision, as having too much potassium in the body can also cause serious health problems. If your levels are very low, you may need potassium through a drip in hospital.
Most meats add some potassium to your meals. Chicken breast has the most per 3-ounce serving with 332 milligrams, but beef and turkey breast contain 315 and 212 milligrams, respectively.
There are limited or no options for at-home kits to test potassium levels. If you are prescribed a 24-hour urine test, you will need to collect your urine wherever you are during the day, including at home. However, this testing is still prescribed by your doctor rather than sold as a separate at-home test kit.
When you exercise, your muscles lose potassium. This creates a substantial rise in blood potassium levels. For most people, the kidneys filter out the extra potassium fairly quickly, and potassium levels return to normal within a few minutes of rest.
Chocolate and nuts contain high amounts of phosphorus and potassium.
Boiling potatoes and vegetables will reduce their potassium content as some of the potassium leaks into the cooking water. Potatoes that have been par-boiled (partly cooked by boiling) can then be fried, roasted or added to casseroles if desired. Try not to use cooking water to make gravy, stocks or soups.
While not considered a high potassium food, the potassium in cheese should absolutely be made aware. On average, one ounce of cheese will provide about 35 milligrams of potassium. The cheese with the most potassium is processed cheese (like the cheese-in-a-can products).
Carbohydrate (Starchy food)
Most breads and cereals are good choices as they are low in potassium.
Some of the lowest potassium meats are clams, oysters, and tuna. Chicken and turkey aren't considered low potassium meats, but they are lower than other types of meats. Deli meats are not only high in potassium but can also be high in sodium and contain phosphorus additives.
A low potassium level can make muscles feel weak, cramp, twitch, or even become paralyzed, and abnormal heart rhythms may develop. The diagnosis is based on blood tests to measure the potassium level. Usually, eating foods rich in potassium or taking potassium supplements by mouth is all that is needed.
Adults should consume about 3,500mg of potassium per day, according to the UK's National Health Service. The average banana, weighing 125g, contains 450mg of potassium, meaning a healthy person can consume at least seven-and-half bananas before reaching the recommended level.
Vitamin D apparently affects the absorption and metabolism of potassium and sodium to a lesser extent than that of magnesium.
Some of the best sources of potassium are dark leafy greens such as spinach, which when cooked has an astounding 1,180 mg per cup, per USDA data. Swiss chard is a close second, with almost 1,000 mg per cooked cup, and even bok choy has around 445 mg per cup when cooked.