Potassium Power for athletes

Muscle aches and cramps. Fatigue. Spasms. Heart palpitations. Did you know that not getting enough potassium during and after hard workouts can lead to these not-so-pleasant symptoms?

Potassium is an amazing mineral, playing a crucial role in:

• Hydration
• Muscle contraction
• Blood pressure control
• Heart rate regulation mechanisms

Your fluid levels and electrolyte balance are influenced by (mainly) two key electrolytes, sodium and potassium. Your body needs enough electrolytes and fluids to prevent dehydration. In the Western diet, which is heavier in processed food and meat products, sodium recommendations are met easily or exceeded, while a lot of people fall short of potassium recommendations.

How do people, especially athletes, lose potassium?

Some athletes can lose potassium through sweat, but the amounts lost is easily replenished through diet. Potassium can also be lost through diarrhoea and vomiting. Diuretics can result in the excretion of potassium, and over-hydration (with plain water not containing electrolytes) can increase potassium losses by sending the excess fluid to the kidneys at potassium’s expense.

What are the symptoms of low potassium levels?

Having too little potassium leads to nausea, vomiting, muscle weakness and cramps, muscle spasms, an increased heart rate, slow reflexes, and in some cases, glucose intolerace.

How much potassium do you need in a day?

The daily value (DV) for potassium based on the RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) for adults for potassium is 3500mg per day, and is also recommended by the WHO (World Health Organization) but can vary a bit for athletes in training depending on how much potassium is being lost in sweat and the sweat rate of the athlete.

It’s important to replace potassium during and after exercise, but it is also important to be aware of the fact that too much potassium can lead to hyperkalemia – high amounts of potassium in the blood – which can lead to disturbances in electrical impulses, irregular heartbeats, and in extreme cases, death. That’s why potassium supplements in higher than recommended dosages are not recommended unless you are following the advice of a medical health professional.

It is likely that you will obtain adequate amounts of potassium by being mindful of incorporating sources into your daily diet.

Where do I get potassium from?

Because cells remain intact unless certain foods go through processing, the best sources of potassium are fresh, unprocessed foods. Foods that are processed tend to be higher in sodium and lower in potassium. When the diet is low in potassium and high in sodium, it raises blood pressure and increases the risk of heart disease.

Resources

1. Mahan, L. K., Raymond, J.L. 2017. Krause’s food and the Nutrition Care Process. 14th ed. Canada: Elserevier. Pp 439, 1083.
2. Whitney, E., Rolfes, S.R. 2016. Understanding Nutrition. 14th ed. Canada: Cengage learning. Pp 387-388.