There is no recommended daily allowance (RDA) for potassium, but it is advised to get between 2,000-3,000 mg per day. The range of intake for children is 780 to 1,600 mg per day.
This is not difficult, and most people meet this requirement on their own through a normal diet. In general, nutritionists recommend reducing salt intake and ensuring adequate supply by increasing the amount of fresh fruit and vegetables in the diet.
If one is into bodybuilding, he must increase the potassium intake, since potassium is needed to maintain muscles in good form, and also because potassium is lost from excessive sweating and urine.
Symptoms of high intake of potassium:
Excessive potassium can be toxic and will affect the heart. This is a problem especially when one is suffering from some problem such as kidney failure. Irregular heart beat and muscle fatigue is sign of toxic potassium levels. In healthy people, the kidneys in the urine excrete excess potassium.
Who requires extra potassium?
People who require potassium supplements include:
- women on oral contraceptives,
- chronic alcoholics or drug abusers,
- smokers
- people undergoing stress
- athletes
- people doing strenuous exertion,
- anyone suffering from any degree of mal-absorption syndrome
- people with eating disorders, especially bulimia and anorexia..
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