Because the balance of the two minerals is what matters. In fact, Dutch researchers determined that a low potassium intake has the same impact on your blood pressure as high sodium consumption. Additionally, a study by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute found that volunteers who consumed 4, mg of potassium per day through a well-balanced diet that included lots of fruits and vegetables reduced their blood pressure in just two weeks.

Sodium, on the other hand, is primarily stored outside the cell wall in the extracellular fluid plasma. Recall from your undergrad biology class that nerves relay information through electric signals.

Thus, the different concentrations of sodium and potassium inside and outside of the cells build up slight electric charges, which help your nerves send information and manage muscle contractions.

This is one reason low electrolytes are sometimes thought to cause muscle cramps. In nature, things naturally move from an area of high concentration to low concentration, and the imbalance of sodium and potassium causes these two ions to move in and out of cells, based on water content.

As potassium ions transverse the cell walls, sugars, waste products, and nutrients pass with them, meaning potassium is also essential for transporting energy throughout the body. Enzyme production: Potassium is also necessary for certain enzyme production, including adenosine triphosphate or ATP, the prime source of energy for cells and pyruvate kinase, an important enzyme involved in carbohydrate metabolism.

It is nearly impossible to find a local race without trays of oranges and bananas. In addition to being great sources of simple sugars, these fruits are full of potassium. Some exercise physiologists theorize that the sodium-potassium pump may contribute to exercise-induced fatigue.

Recall from above that the body naturally stores potassium inside cells and sodium outside in the extracellular fluid plasma. However, studies of marathon runners , Journal of Applied Physiology have found that long exercise results in greater amounts of potassium outside the cells, which can contribute to cramping, bloating and general fatigue.

The balance of sodium and potassium usually returns to normal about an hour after exercise in healthy adults. Decreased potassium levels in the extracellular space will cause hyperpolarization of the resting membrane potential. As a result, a greater than normal stimulus is required for depolarization of the membrane in order to initiate an action potential.

Simply, this means that lack of potassium will slow down or halt nerve and muscle action. Potassium deficiency symptoms include nausea, slow reflexes, vomiting, muscle weakness, muscle spasms, cramping, and rapid heart rate. Note that, similar to sodium intake, high blood pressure patients have to pay extra close attention to potassium.

According to a University of Connecticut USATF advisory , potassium levels lost in sweat can be a concern for people in general and especially for people taking diuretics for high blood pressure.

Diuretics cause excessive excretion of potassium, and running could result in hypokalemia low potassium. Also, plain water intake or hyper-hydration will exacerbate losses of potassium by sending the excess fluid to the kidneys for excretion at the expense of potassium.

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My Account. Log in Reset your password Register. Forgot your password? Sign In. Sweat sodium concentration i. Potassium, magnesium, and calcium are worth discussing because, like sodium, we also lose them in our sweat, just in far smaller proportions. A few studies have tried to quantify exactly how much of each we lose when sweating and, while the numbers are a little varied, the research generally agrees that the losses are minimal in healthy adults.

Potassium is the most abundant positively charged ion in intracellular fluid i. It plays a role in several bodily functions, including regulating fluid balance, facilitating the transmission of nerve signals, and assisting in muscle contractions.

Potassium levels in the body are regulated in much the same way as sodium is, with dietary intake being balanced predominantly by excretion through urine and, to a lesser extent, through losses in our sweat.

Some early research on rats did suggest that a potassium-containing beverage may be useful for enhancing recovery by aiding intracellular rehydration. But, a later study in humans — which saw participants drink beverages containing either potassium or sodium when dehydrated after exercise — showed that the rehydration rate was actually slowest in the potassium-only group and lent further support to the importance of sodium in staying hydrated.

As mentioned before, magnesium is held in the intracellular fluid and is needed for more than biochemical reactions in the body. Dietary magnesium mainly comes from dark, leafy vegetables, but other good sources include fruits, nuts, and whole grains.

Also, plain water intake or hyper-hydration will exacerbate losses of potassium by sending the excess fluid to the kidneys for excretion at the expense of potassium. Back Who is SaltStick? How to Use SaltStick Back Endurance Sports Racket Sports Team Sports Fire and Rescue Lifestyle and Travel POTS and Dysautonomia.

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To opt out, click unsubscribe in our emails. Search our store. Account Wishlist Cart 0. Popular Searches:. More Results. SaltStick Four Ways Potassium Matters to Your Sports Performance Apr 06, Tweet this post to enter our FASTCHEW giveaway! Follow the campaign with the hashtag 30SaltyDays on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram and the SaltStick blog.

While most endurance athletes are aware of their need for potassium raise your hand if you had a banana today… , you may not know why you need it.

Why endurance athletes should care about potassium. Fish, haddock. Fish, salmon. Parsnip, cooked. Pumpkin, cooked. Mushroom, cooked. Brussels sprouts, cooked. Broccoli, cooked. The normal range of potassium in the blood is 3.

Potassium depletion may cause muscle weakness, cramps, paralytic episodes, irregular heartbeats cardiac arrhythmias , rhabdomyolysis, impaired glucose tolerance, polydipsia excessive thirst and polyuria excessive urination. Athletic Benefits of Potassium:. The heart, skeletal muscles, and intestinal smooth muscles are very sensitive to the fluctuations of potassium in the blood.

Therefore, small variations in potassium levels could affect the normal functions of the heart and skeletal muscles in athletes and physically active people. The potential benefits of potassium in athletes are:. Non — Athletic Benefits of Potassium:.

The following conditions may benefit from potassium:. Dosage and Side Effects:. The daily requirement for potassium for non — athlete adults is — mg. The performance daily intake PDI for potassium for athletes and physically active adults is — mg.

Potassium is available as potassium chloride, citrate, fumarate, and gluconate. Potassium pills may cause stomach upset and esophagitis inflammation of the esophagus. Potassium supplementation should be avoided in the following conditions:.

The potential interactions of potassium are as follows:. Log in Register. Don't have an account yet? Register now! Remember Me. Food Sources and Absorption of Potassium: The total amount of potassium in the body is 50 mEq milliequivalent per one kilogram of body weight.

Foods Rich in Potassium: Foods Serving Size Potassium mg Tomato paste 1 cup Beet greens, cooked 1 cup Dates 1 cup Raisins 1 cup Soybeans, cooked 1 cup Lima beans, cooked 1 cup Fish, halibut 5 oz Fish, tuna 5 oz Plantain, raw One, medium Spinach, cooked 1 cup Papaya One, medium Lentils, cooked 1 cup Kidney beans, cooked 1 cup Navy, cooked 1 cup Sweet potato, cooked One, medium Artichoke, raw 1 cup Baking potato, cooked One, medium Black beans, cooked 1 cup Fish, haddock 5 oz Fish, salmon 5 oz Yogurt 1 cup Parsnip, cooked 1 cup Pumpkin, cooked 1 cup Mushroom, cooked 1 cup Brussels sprouts, cooked 1 cup Broccoli, cooked 1 cup Cantaloupe 1 cup Banana One, medium Apricots 10 halves The normal range of potassium in the blood is 3.

If your heart is doing well and your potassium level is mildly elevated, you can take other measures to manage hyperkalemia. 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. When you have a health condition like hyperkalemia or heart disease, a spike in potassium can lead to a serious heart rhythm problem known as exercise-induced arrhythmia.

Research suggests that physical conditioning or training may help reduce the increase in potassium levels during exercise. High potassium can be dangerous, so talk with your doctor before starting a new exercise routine.

Some of these risk factors are:. Whatever your previous level of activity, walking is a good choice. You can slowly increase the length and speed of your walks and get some fresh air in the process. When possible, add more movement to your day. Running errands? Choose stairs over elevators and park farther from entrances.

Have a dog? Take more short walks and play breaks throughout the day. Start your day with some stretching exercises to increase flexibility and get you going. Make sure you stretch before and after exercising, too. Begin with a low intensity workout. Pull back and try again later. Increase your level of activity slowly.

Making time to exercise every day is ideal. If possible, try to schedule physical activity for earlier in the day. Keep up with doctor visits, take your medications as prescribed, and continue to manage your other health conditions.

Talk with your doctor if you have any concerns about exercise. Potassium is actually a widely under consumed nutrient in the American diet.

But if you have hyperkalemia, you might benefit from following a low potassium diet. According to the National Institutes of Health NIH , the top dietary sources of potassium for adults in the United States are:.

If you have hyperkalemia, work with your doctor or a dietitian to reduce your intake of these and other high potassium foods, such as:. While cutting down on these foods, be sure to get all the nutrients your body needs from other sources.