CAUSES OF HYPERKALEMIA (high potassium)
CAUSES OF HYPOKALEMIA (low potassium)
Potassium Content of Foods
Dairy Products

Fruits and Fruit Juices
Grains and Grain Products
Legumes and Nuts
Meat, Fish, Poultry and Eggs
Vegetables and Juices
Daily Potassium Needs
Selected Foods with High Potassium Content
HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS THAT PROMOTE POTASSIUM DEPLETION
DAILY POTASSIUM NEEDS
SELECTED FOODS WITH HIGH POTASSIUM CONTENT
BOOST POTASSIUM INTAKE TO CUT STROKE BY 20%


 CAUSES OF HYPERKALEMIA
High Potassium
Spurious
Leakage from RBCs if sepearation of serum from clot is delayed
Thrombocytosis, with release of K from platelets
Marked elevation of white blood cells
Repeated fist clenching during phlebotomy with release of K from forearm muscles
Blood drawn from K infusion
Decreased excretion
Renal failure, acute or chronic
Severe oliguria (decreased urine output) from shock or dehydration
Renal secretory defects: SLE, renal transplant, sickle cell disease, obstructive uropathy,
     amyloidosis, interstitial nephritis
Hyporeninemic hypoaldosteronism or selective hypoaldosteronism (seen in AIDS)
Drugs inhibiting potassium excretion (triamterene, spironolactone, ACE inhibitors, etc)
Shift of Potassium from tissues
Massive release of intracellular potassium (burns, crush inujury, hemolysis, internal bleeding,
     vigorous exercise, rhabdomyolysis
Metabolic acidosis
Hyperosmolality
Insulin deficiency
Hyperkalemic periodic paralysis
Drugs: digitalis toxicity, B-adrenergic antagonists, arginine, succinylcholine
Excessive intake of potassium
Excessive K, orally or parenterally

 CAUSES OF HYP0KALEMIA
Low Potassium
Diuretics
• The most common cause of hypokalemia is diuretic therapy. It is the most widely used antihypertensive medication, decreasing blood pressure through decrease of plasma volume by suppressing tubular reabsorption of sodium, and with chronic use, causes a reduction of peripheral vascular resistance.
• Of the diuretics, the thiazides are the most widely used.
• Used alone, diuretics control blood pressure in about 50% of patients and can be effectively combined with other agents - beta-blockers ,ACE inhibitors, angiotension II blockers.
• Low potassium can be minimized or prevented by use of the diuretics in the lowest effective, a high potassium diet, limited salt intake or use of potassium-sparing diuretics, alone or in combination with thiazides.
• Caution: Diuretics may increase uric acid and precipitate gout.
Gastrointestinal loss
• Vomiting, diarrhea.
• Chronic laxative abuse.
Others

• Antifuncal Amphotericin B.
• Excessive sweating and perspiration.
• Metabolic acidosis, diabetic ketoacidosis.
• Hypomagnesemia which may impair potassium correction.
• Other disease states associated with high aldosterone levels that causes hypertension and excessive urinary loss of potassium.
• ingestion of glycyrrhizin, which is contained in extract of licorice,
found in supplements (see below), candies, etc.
• Certain hereditary conditions: renal transport defects, hypokalemic periodic paralysis (muscular ion defect).


POTASSIUM CONTENT OF FOODS
DAIRY PRODUCTS PORTION

POTASSIUM (mg)

Cheddar cheese 1.5 oz.

42

Cottage cheese 1/2 cup

95

Ice cream, hard 1/2 cup

123

Milk, low fat 2% 1 cup

412

Milk, skim 1 cup

426

Milk, whole 1 cup

370

Yogurt, plain, low fat 1 cup

531

FRUIT AND JUICES    
Apple 1 medium

159

Apple juice 6 oz

222

Avocado 1/2

602

Banana 1 medium

451

Blueberries, raw 1/2 cup

65

Cantaloupe 1/2

825

Cherries, sweet, raw 10

152

Grapefruit 1/2

825

Grapefruit juice 6 oz

252

Grapes 10

93

Grape juice, frozen 6 oz

42

Orange 1

237

Orange juice, frozen 6 oz

354

Peach 1

171

Peaches, canned in juice 1/2 cup

158

Pear 1

208

Pineapple, raw 1/2 cup

113

Plum 1

112

Raisins 1/4 cup

553

Strawberries 1/2 cup

123

Watermelon 1/10

560

GRAINS    
Bread, white 2 slices

52

Bread, wheat 2 slices

144

Oatmeal, cooked 1 cup

146

Rice, brown 1 cup

41

Shredded wheat 1 cup

87

LEGUMES & NUTS    
Almonds, roasted 1 oz

219

Beans, red kidney, cooked 1 cup

629

Beans, white navy, cooked 1 cup

790

Black-eyed peas, cooked 1 cup

573

Peanuts, roasted 1 oz

191

Soybeans, cooked 1 cup

972

Split peas, cooked 1 cup

592

Walnuts, English, shelled 1 oz

128

MEAT, FISH,
POULTRY & EGGS
   
Chicken, dark meat, roasted 4 oz

284

Chicken, light meat, roasted 4 oz

458

Chuck, choice, lean, cooked 4 oz

276

Cod, broiled with butter 4 oz

460

Egg 1 large

65

Flounder, broiled with butter 4 oz

460

Ground beef, lean, cooked 4 oz

305

Halibut, broiled 4 oz

596

Pork, loin chops, lean roasted 4 oz

373

Shad, baked 4 oz

428

Sirloin steak, lean, cooked 4 oz

409

Tuna, in water, chunk 3 oz

257

Turkey, dark meat, roasted 4 oz

450

Turkey, light meat, roasted 4 oz

465

VEGETABLES AND JUICES  
Beet greens, cooked 1 cup

480

Beets, cooked, diced, drained 1 cup

354

Broccoli, cooked 1 cup

414

Brussels sprouts, cooked 1 cup

846

Cabbage, red, raw, shredded 1 cup

240

Carrot, raw 1

246

Cauliflower, cooked 1 cup

240

Celery, raw 1 stalk

136

Coleslaw (w/mayonnaise) 1 cup

239

Collards 1 cup

498

Corn, cooked 1 ear

151

Eggplant, cooked, diced 1 cup

300

Green beans, cooked 1 cup

190

Green pepper 1

349

Lettuce, iceberg 1 cup

96

Lettuce, romaine 1 cup

143

Lima beans, immature, cooked 1 cup

376

Mushrooms, sliced, raw 1 cup

390

Okra, cooked 1 cup

268

Peas, cooked 1 cup

314

Potato, baked 1 long

782

Radishes 1/2 cup

185

Rutabaga, cooked, mashed 1 cup

1.320

Spinach, cooked 1 cup

1,166

Spinach, raw 1 cup

259

Squash, acorn, baked 1 cup

984

Squash, butternut, baked 1 cup

1,248

Sweet potatoes, baked 1

342

Tomato 1 medium

300

Tomato juice, canned 6 oz

413

Turnips, boiled, mashed 1 cup

432

Zucchini, cooked, sliced 1 cup

508


HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS
THAT PROMOTE POTASSIUM DEPLETION
Herbal supplements that may promote potassium depletion through diuretic or laxative mechanisms include aloe, caraway, castor oil, dandelion, elder flower, flaxseed, figwort, glycerol, licorice, peppermint oil, psyllium, wheat bran, and yarrow.

DAILY POTASSIUM NEEDS

A panel from the Institute of Medicine's Food and Nutrition Board has set the daily adequate intake of potassium for healthy adults at 4.7 g per day to lower blood pressure, counter the effects of salt, and reduce the risk of bone loss and development of kidney stones. The amount corresponds to 10 servings of fruits, vegetables and other foods rich in potassium.

Most American women aged 31-50 years consume no more than half the recommended amount of potassium, 2.2 to 2.4 g of potassium daily; and men's only slightly higher, 2.8-3.3 g daily.

CAUTION
The panel found no evidence of chronic excess consumption of potassium. However, certain patients - those with renal conditions with impaired ability to excrete potassium, those on on potassium-sparing diuretics, and those on certain types of drug therapies such as ACE inhibitors - should be under the care of a physician, who may recommend a daily potassium consumption of less than 4.7 g per day.


SELECTED FOODS WITH
HIGH POTASSIUM CONTENT
  Very High (12-20 meq) High (5-12 meq)
Beans


Garbanzo beans (half cup)
Soy beans (half cup)


Kidney beans
Lima beans
Navy beans
Pinto beans
Fruit







Papaya (medium)
Durian








Apricots (1 1/2)
Banana (medium)
Cantaloupe (1/4 inch slice)
Honeydew melon (1/4 inch slice)
Orange (3 inch diameter)
Orange Juice (half cup)
Pear (large)
Prunes (4)
Prune juice
Rhubarb
Vegetables








  Artichoke (one)
Avocado (1/4)
Brussels sprouts
Carrots (medium)
Chard
Ketchup (tbsp)
Potato - one, baked or broiled;
        10 fries, or half cup mashed
Pumpkin
Spinach
Tomato (one)
Tomato or vegetable juice

BOOST POTASSIUM INTAKE TO CUT STROKE BY 20%

The largest meta-analysis so far conducted examining the impact of potassium intake on cardiovascular outcomes has found that higher dietary consumption of this mineral is associated with lower rates of stroke and could also reduce the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and total CVD.

The senior author of this new research, Dr Pasquale Strazzullo (University of Naples Medical School, Italy) advises that rather than confuse patients with too much detail on nutrients and supplements, the simple advice woud be to eat more fruits and vegetables, particularli those that are very rich in potassium--including bananas, tomatoes, oranges, apricots, and most legumes. The most practical advice we can give is that people should have five or six servings of fruit and vegetables a day," he says.

Alas, many doctors are not aware of what huge benefits one might derive from this measure.

(View Article: Medscape Internal Medicine / Heartwire / Boost Potassium Intake to Cut Stroke by 20% / Lisa Nainggolan)


SOURCES
USDA Handbooks No. 456, 8-1 and 8-9
Panel Reassesses Daily Water, Electrolyte Needs Patrice Norton, Contributing Writer. Internal Medicine News. April 1, 2004
Herb-drug Interactions R. Bonakdar MD., Patient Care/January 2003 (www.patientcareonline.com)
Hyperkalemia CURRENT Diagnosis & Treatment, 35th Edition, aLange medical book
Boost Potassium Intake to Cut Stroke by 20% Heartwire /


HOME
     •      SEARCH      •      EMAIL    •     
IX