Potassium
Where to Find It
Most fruits are excellent sources of potassium. Beans, milk, and vegetables contain significant amounts of potassium.
Best Form to Take
Common supplement forms of potassium include potassium gluconate, potassium chloride, potassium citrate, and potassium aspartate. Potassium citrate is the preferred form for the prevention of kidney stones. The aspartate in potassium magnesium aspartate (which delivers both potassium aspartate and magnesium aspartate) may increase uptake of potassium. Yet, care needs to be taken not to consume excessive amounts of aspartate. To avoid consuming too much aspartate, one recommendation is to limit potassium magnesium aspartate to 3.35 g/day (equivalent to around 400 mg of potassium and 2.7 g of aspartate), and to get additional potassium from other forms.11
How to Use It
The best way to obtain extra potassium is to eat several pieces of fruit per day, as well as liberal amounts of vegetables. The amount of potassium found in the diet ranges from about 2.5 grams to about 5.8 grams per day. The amount allowed in supplements—99 mg per tablet or capsule—is very low, considering that one banana can contain 500 mg. Check with your physician before taking large amounts of potassium since it may irritate the stomach.
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