Potassium is essential for nearly every bodily function. Why is that? It is needed to produce ATP, our body’s energy molecule. Without energy, we cannot do anything.
Natural whole foods are generally abundant in potassium, whereas processed foods often are not. Instead, they tend to contain excess sodium, which, when too high in the body, depletes potassium. As you can imagine, this has consequences beyond just your energy levels! Let’s take a look at what else potassium does in our body and how to ensure you’re getting enough.
Potassium’s Functions in the Human Body
Energy Synthesis
Potassium is essential for energy production. As mentioned in the previous post on salt (sodium), our cells function best when their internal environment is low in sodium and rich in potassium. Energy production occurs more efficiently when there is enough potassium. But that’s not all.
To generate ATP (adenosine triphosphate), our body requires magnesium. However, magnesium remains inactive without potassium. So, to produce energy, potassium is absolutely essential!
Nerve Signal Transmission
Together with sodium, potassium enables the transmission of nerve impulses. At rest, potassium levels are high inside the cell and low outside, whereas sodium is the opposite. This difference in charge creates a resting membrane potential of about -70mV in nerve cells and -90mV in muscle cells.
When a nerve is stimulated, a temporary ‘hole’ forms in its outer membrane, allowing sodium to rush in and potassium to flow out. This process generates an electrical impulse that travels along the nerve fiber. If potassium levels are low, this process becomes disrupted, leading to impaired nerve signaling.
Muscle Contraction and Relaxation
Because of its role in nerve signaling, potassium is also essential for muscle function. This includes skeletal muscles, smooth muscles in the digestive tract and blood vessels, and cardiac muscles in the heart.
A potassium deficiency can lead to muscle cramps, spasms, and, in severe cases, paralysis or heart arrhythmias.
pH Regulation
For proper bodily function, maintaining the right pH is crucial. Different tissues require different pH levels—your stomach thrives in an acidic environment, while your cells prefer a slightly alkaline one. Blood must stay between a pH of 7.35 and 7.45.
When blood becomes too acidic, meaning it contains too many hydrogen ions, these ions move out of the blood into our cells in exchange for potassium. Because both potassium and hydrogen ions are positively charged, potassium must leave the cell to maintain the electrical balance. Without potassium, this crucial pH-regulating mechanism would not function properly.
Fluid Balance
Sodium and potassium work in opposition. When sodium is high in a given space (like inside a cell), potassium is low, and vice versa. Sodium attracts water, so areas high in sodium will also be high in water.
Because potassium regulates sodium levels, it plays a vital role in controlling fluid balance in the body. When blood is high in sodium, more water is drawn in, increasing blood pressure. Potassium counteracts this, helping to keep blood pressure within a healthy range.
Heart Health
Maintaining healthy blood pressure is great for your heart, but potassium does even more. It influences electrical signaling in your heart muscles as well.
In the heart, depolarization (when sodium rushes into a local spot on the cell) triggers an electrical impulse, making the heart contract. But the heart cannot stay contracted—it needs to relax and contract again to keep blood moving through the body. To return to a relaxed state, some potassium must rush out. After this, the sodium pump expels the extra sodium to restore full balance, allowing a new nerve impulse to be generated.
The sodium pump requires a potassium-rich environment to function well. Therefore, adequate potassium intake is linked to a reduced risk of hypertension, stroke, and cardiovascular diseases.
Detoxification
Since potassium supports proper cell function, a deficiency can impair detoxification. In more intensive detox plans, potassium supplements are sometimes included. However, please don’t experiment with this on your own—professional guidance is necessary. Certain kidney conditions, for example, can be exacerbated by large amounts of potassium.
Osteoporosis Prevention
Potassium supplements are often recommended for postmenopausal women at risk of osteoporosis.
When estrogen levels drop after menopause, bone resorption increases. Estrogen inhibits the activity of cells that break down bone, supports calcium absorption from the intestines, and reduces inflammation, which further contributes to bone loss.
Potassium plays a similar role to estrogen in maintaining calcium levels. When estrogen levels decrease, increasing dietary potassium can help support bone health—often alongside vitamin D and other minerals for the best effect.
Neurotransmitter Regulation
Potassium deficiency has been linked to brain fog, fatigue, mood disturbances, and an increased risk of depression and anxiety2. Potassium helps regulate neurotransmitter activity due to its role in nerve signal transmission. Without enough potassium, nerves struggle to return to a resting state after stimulation, slowing impulse generation and neurotransmitter release.
Sleep Quality
Potassium supports muscle relaxation, preventing cramps, twitches, and restlessness during sleep.
Additionally, its role in maintaining a steady heartbeat, healthy blood pressure, nerve relaxation, and neurotransmitter balance all contribute to better sleep quality. Our body is so smart that, at night, it releases more potassium from the cells to promote overall relaxation for deeper, more restful sleep.
Blood Sugar Regulation
Low potassium levels can reduce insulin sensitivity. Insulin is the hormone that moves glucose from the blood into cells for energy production. When cells become less sensitive to insulin, the body compensates by producing more of it. High insulin levels increase the risk of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. In this way, potassium can help prevent these types of health conditions.
How to Get Enough Potassium
The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for potassium is 2,600 mg per day for women and 3,400 mg for men1. However, in naturopathy, this is often seen as the bare minimum. There is no harm in aiming for 4,000 to 6,000 mg daily.
The best way to get enough potassium is through natural, whole foods. Even with soil depletion due to monoculture and pesticide use, non-organic foods still provide sufficient potassium. However, for higher-quality nutrition, look for regenerative farming sources.
Potassium-Rich Foods
Avocado – Packed with potassium, healthy fats, fiber, and antioxidants, avocados support heart health, digestion, and overall well-being.
Spinach – A nutrient powerhouse, spinach is rich in potassium, iron, magnesium, and vitamins A and C, making it great for muscle function, immunity, and overall health.
Sweet Potatoes – Loaded with potassium, fiber, and beta-carotene, sweet potatoes help regulate blood pressure, support vision, and provide lasting energy.
Other great sources: Bananas, mushrooms, leafy greens, carrots, lentils, almonds, and pumpkin seeds.
Things That Can Deplete Your Potassium
Certain factors can cause potassium loss, including:
- Diuretics – Increase potassium excretion through the kidneys.
- Vomiting & Diarrhea – Lead to electrolyte loss, including potassium.
- Stress & High Sodium Intake – Can lower potassium levels.
- Excessive Sweating – Increases potassium loss.
We can’t always avoid stress, but you can counteract its effects by incorporating potassium-rich foods like sweet potatoes and avocados into your diet.
Healing Starts with the Right Foods
The nutrients in our food serve as the building blocks for our tissues, enzymes, hormones, and neurotransmitters. For optimal well-being, we need adequate amounts of the right nutrients—we need the right foods.
A well-balanced diet, combined with a well-balanced mind, is the best preventative medicine. And when illness arises, diet can help awaken the body’s innate healing abilities.
If you’d like help optimizing your diet for better health and energy, reach out today!
Pictures:
Avocados: Matthias Oben
Nerve impulse transmission: laurentaylorj (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Action_Potential.gif)
Sodium pump: Mariana Ruiz Willarreal (wikicommons)
Sweet potatoes: Jorge Romero